The police said they returned fire in self-defence after Muthu Saravanan and 'Sunday' Sathish and attacked them with country-made pistols early on Thursday.
Rowdies Muthu Saravanan and Sathish who died in police encounter on Thursday
Two history-sheeters were shot dead and another injured in separate encounters with the Tamil Nadu Police on Thursday, 12 October.
With the deaths of Muthu Saravanan and “Sunday” Sathish, the total number of encounter killings since the DMK took charge of the state in 2021 rose to 10.
The duo was reportedly involved in the murder of AIADMK functionary Parthiban, former president of Padiyanallur panchayat near Sengundram in Chennai.
Four men allegedly hacked Parthiban on a temple ground at Padiyanallur on 17 August.
The Avadi police commissionerate registered a case and arrested 10 people for murdering Parthiban. Saravanan, the key accused, had since been on the run.
Based on a tipoff, the Avadi police went to Marapedu Kandigai near Cholavaram where the rowdy elements were reportedly hiding in a dilapidated building.
The police said they retaliated in self-defence after the duo resisted arrest and opened fire on them.
While Saravanan was killed instantly, doctors at the Government Stanley Hospital declared Sathish “dead on arrival”. Three policemen, who sustained injuries, were being treated at the same hospital. The bodies of the slain duo have been sent for a post-mortem examination.
Following the shootout, senior police officers visited the scene and held an inquiry, A Revenue Divisional Officer-level probe, too, has been launched into the incident.
Saravanan, listed as an A-plus rowdy, had more than 13 cases, including six murders, registered against him. Sathish was involved in five criminal cases, the police said.
Addressing media persons, K Shankar, Commissioner of Avadi City Police, said that the deceased Saravanan was leading a gang and was involved in various anti-social activities.
“The duo had country-made pistols. The police team opened fire in self-defence after they were shot at,” the commissioner said, adding that an investigation has been launched to find the source from whom the men had procured the pistols.
In a separate incident, the Chengalpattu Police arrested an alleged notorious rowdy, Thanika alias Thanikachalam of Periyapalayam, after shooting at his leg and arm while he tried to escape from police custody on Thursday.
Thanikachalam is reportedly the nephew of gangster Sridhar Dhanapalan, who allegedly committed suicide by consuming cyanide in Cambodia in 2017.
The police said Thanikachalam, also an A-plus rowdy, has more than 30 cases, including murder and attempt to murder, against him in Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpattu district.
A trial court issued an arrest warrant against him after he had failed to appear before it in a criminal case. Following the court’s order, a special team was formed to arrest Thanikachalam.
The special team picked him up from his hideout in Chennai. While being taken to Chithampur, Thanikachalam allegedly attacked the police near Mamandoor and tried to flee.
The police foiled his attempt by shooting at his right leg and arm. He was later taken to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai.
A fresh case has been registered against the man under relevant sections of the IPC, including for preventing government servants from discharging their duty and attacking the police.
As many as 10 people have been killed in Tamil Nadu ever since the MK Stalin government assumed power in 2021.
Murtaza Sheikh from Jharkhand was gunned down by the Kancheepuram Police at Sriperumbadur on 11 October, 2021.
A 39-year-old history-sheeter, V Durai Murugan of Kootampuli village in Thoothukudi district, was shot dead in a police encounter on 15 October, 2021. He had 19 cases, including seven murder charges, against him.
Deena alias Dinesh and Biscuit alias Mohammed Moideen were shot dead by the Chengalpattu police near Palar at Irunkundrampalli on 1 January, 2022.
A special team of the Dindigul police gunned down “Neeravi” Murugan near Kalakad in Tirunelveli district on 16 March 2022. He had been facing more than 60 criminal cases across Tamil Nadu.
Chhotta Vinod and Ramesh, two alleged rowdies from the Chengalpattu district were killed in a police encounter on 1 August 2023. The police opened fire when they attacked the cops with weapons during a routine vehicle, inspection at Guduvanchery near Chennai.
‘Kulla’ Vishwa alias Vishwanathan, an A-plus rowdy was gunned down near Kancheepuram on 16 September 2023 by a special team of the Chennai City Police.
Apart from the encounter killings a dozen of other rowdy elements were injured in police encounters.
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