80 rowdies killed in TN police encounter so far

Police encounters have become a routine part of the strategies undertaken in order to maintain law and order in the state. 

It has been noted that the usage of arms against elements of terror started in the 1980s by Mr. Devaram in order to eradicate the Naxalites. A number of Naxalites were shot dead during this period.

The present DGP Sailendra Babu had also undertaken various measures to curb the Naxal activities in his time as the superintendent of Dindigul. Now, this armed counterattack has slowly been implemented towards the rowdies in Tamil Nadu. 

In 1998, the Tamil Nadu police took major efforts to bring down the activities of the rowdies in the state. During this phase, famous rowdy Aasaithambi was shot dead in an encounter that took place near Loyola College, Chennai. 

In 2002, 5 people including Imam Ali were shot dead by the police. In 2003, Veeramani from Ayodhi Kuppan met the same fate, followed by the famous dacoit Veerapan in 2004 and Vellai Ravi in 2007. 

In 2010, Mohan Raj, a call-taxi driver who had raped and murdered a child was shot dead in Coimbatore. Dindigul Pandi and Velu from Guduvancherry were also executed in the same year.

In 2012, Prabhu and Bharathi who murdered a police official from Sivagangai were shot dead. 

In the same year, a group of 5 people from Bihar caused unrest in North Chennai by robbing large amounts of money from banks in the area. The group was killed by police officials in an encounter. 

This encounter was undertaken under the supervision of Sub Inspector Shanmuga Rajeshwaran at the group’s secret hideout in Velacherry.  Following this, no encounter had taken place for the next few years. 

A rowdy who went by the name Anandhan was shot dead by the police in July 2018. The rowdy had attacked a police official named Rajavelu, cut him in 16 places and escaped. He was finally killed by the police officials at his hideout in Tharamani. 

10 months later, rowdy Kadhirvelu from Salem was shot dead. The total number of people died in police encounter in the state stands at 80. 

Jayalalitha’s reign in the state saw the highest number of people shot dead by the police. It is to be noted that 11 rowdies were shot dead in the years 2002 and 2003.