CHENNAI: The Kancheepuram police shot dead a 30-year-old migrant labourer near Padur on Monday afternoon and nabbed another man. The duo had allegedly snatched a chain from a woman and opened fire at a crowd that chased them at Sriperumbudur on Sunday. The police claimed the man was shot in self-defence as he tried to attack the police with a machete. They have also recovered the pistol and magazine.
The deceased was identified as Murthuza from Jharkhand, who worked at a private company in the district, and the arrested was identified as Naim Aktar (29), also from Jharkhand. The duo had been staying at Sriperumbudur for a year.
Naim was nabbed on Monday at around 6.15 am and Murthuza was traced to an isolated house near Padur. “Seeing the police, Murthuza escaped through the back door, and on the way, threw away the magazine. Later as the police neared him, he attacked a constable with a machete. The inspector had no other option but to shoot him,” said M Sathiyapriya, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kancheepuram range.
She added the guns were not made in Tamil Nadu but brought from Jharkhand. The police is also checking if the accused had any pending cases against them in their State. Inspector Krishnakumar, attached to the Sriperumbudur police station, fired a single shot at Murthuza to his chest, said the police. The injured constable, Mohanraj, has been admitted to the Kancheepuram GH. Murthuza’s body was sent to the Chengalpattu GH for postmortem and a magistrate inquiry has been initiated.
On Sunday morning, the duo had allegedly snatched a six-sovereign gold chain from R Indrani (58), near the toll gate. When passersby tried to chase them, they pulled out a gun and opened fire in the air, said the police.
Duo suspected in Tasmac staff’s murder
The Highway patrol that chased the duo found them jumping into the lake. M Sathiyapriya said Naim was hiding near a waterbody in Nemili village until Monday morning. He came out believing that the police had gone.
The police also suspect the duo were involved in the murder of a Tasmac employee about a week ago. Thulasidass, a Tasmac staff, was found dead at a shop near Oragadam on October 4, and another employee, Ramu, had managed to escape after the assailants attacked him as well. They fired shots at him and he sustained injuries. A couple days later, doctors removed a bullet from Ramu’s body.