Chennai: A history-sheeter was shot dead in an encounter the police in Korattur on Tuesday night. It all started when Rowdy Manikandan Alais Dadha Mani, a proclaimed offender, involved in more than 20 cases, was rounded by a special team of police from Villupuram. When they tried to arrest him, he pulled out a ‘pattakathi’ and hacked sub-onspector Prabhu, prompting the police to open fire in self-defence killing him on spot.
The injured SI was admitted to the Kilpauk government medical college and hospital for treatment. Manikandan was taken to the hospital where he was declared dead. His body was sent to post mortem.
Rowdy Manikandan, (39), a native of Kuilappalayam village in Villupuram district, had several cases against him in Villupuram district police stations especially in Auroville township station.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when the special team of six police personnel from Villupuram station rushed to the city on a specific tip-off that the rowdy was staying with his family in Anna Nagar west extension. At around 7: 30 pm, the team rounded up Manikandan’s house. On seeing the police, he attacked SI with the machete in a bid to escape, when another SI shot him dead.
The ADGP, law and order, Jayanth Murali, visited the encounter site in Koratur and made spot inspection. He then visited the injured at the hospital. Meeting the press at KMC, ADGP said the deceased had around 20 cases pending against him including eight murder cases. The team of police came to Chennai to nab Manikandan after receiving information that he was staying at Korattur. Since he Manikandan attacked a sub-inspector, another SI opened fire at him, as self-defence, he said.
In a spate of two years, three rowdies have been gunned down by the police in city. A rowdy who went by the name Anandhan was shot dead by the police on July 2018. The rowdy had attacked a police officer named Rajavelu, cut him in 16 places and escaped. He was finally killed by the police at his hideout in Tharamani. Ten months later rowdy Kadhirvelu from Salem was shot dead.
The last encounter killing that occurred in Chennai was on June 2019 when Chennai police gunned down a history-sheeter and a murder suspect, Vallarasu, in Madhavaram new bus terminus in north Chennai.
