The deceased Special Sub-Inspector, M Shanmughavel, was hacked to death when he responded to a dispute between a father and two sons in an estate belonging to AIADMK MLA C Mahendran.
Published Aug 06, 2025 | 3:50 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 06, 2025 | 3:50 PM
Attack. (Representational image/ iStock)
Synopsis: Even as the police have launched a hunt for the accused trio who fled the scene after attacking Shanmughavel, the opposition AIADMK and BJP said even officers in uniform are not safe in Tamil Nadu.
An on-duty police officer was hacked to death while responding to a family dispute at Udumalpet in Tiruppur district late on Tuesday, 5 August. The crime took place on a farmland belonging to AIADMK MLA C Mahendran.
The deceased Special Sub-Inspector, M Shanmughavel, was posted at Kudimangalam police station. Along with Constable Azhaguraja, he responded to a call that alerted the police to a dispute between a man and his two sons.
Even as the officer was attending to the issue, the situation turned violent, and one of the men attacked him with a sickle. Others, too, joined in, leaving Shanmughavel fatally injured. The constable escaped and alerted the police station. However, the attackers fled the scene before reinforcement came in.
Shanmughavel’s body has been sent for a post-mortem examination. He was 57.
The police have formed six teams to hunt for the accused, Moorthy, and his sons, Manikandan and Thangapandi. The killing of an on-duty officer has shocked the police department and raised questions about field safety, especially when responding to calls in remote areas.
Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a compensation of ₹1 crore for the officer’s family. A government job will also be given to one eligible member of the family.
The state government has said it will look into improving safety measures for police officers during field visits, especially in potentially risky situations.
Meanwhile, the opposition AIADMK and BJP criticised the state government, saying even police officers in uniform were not safe in Tamil Nadu.
