Notorious criminal gunned down in encounter

Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, Nov 18: A notorious criminal was gunned down in an encounter with the police, while his accomplice was arrested at Konerikuppam near here early today.

Police said, the rowdy, 'Kora' Krishnan alias Krishnan, was involved in several murder's, attempt to muder, robbery and kidnap cases in Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore Districts.

The encounter took place when Krishnan hurled five country-made bombs at a special police party, which took him to the village to unearth the weapons he had used to eliminate his ex-car driver Mohan, suspecting him to be an informer at Sathuvachery in Vellore.

One of the bombs exploded, injuring Inspector Mathivanan on his hands. The police team, headed by Vellore DSP Saravanan, opened five rounds of fire in self defence, killing Krishnan on the spot.

Mr Mathivanan was admitted to a hospital, while the body of Krishnan was kept at the Kancheepuram Government Hospital, where forensic experts examined it.

An RDO inquiry had been ordered into the encounter.

Kancheepuram DIG Krishnamurthy later told mediapersons that the 40-year-old Krishnan was a notorious criminal and was involved in smuggling of illicit arrack and sandalwood. Suspecting that Mohan had passed on information about him to the police, Krishnan along with Surya, abducted Mohan in a car while he was talking with his relative Balaji at Sathuvachery, a couple of days back.

Acting on a complaint from Balaji, a special team was formed to nab the duo and trace Mohan.

Meanwhile, pursuing on definite clues, the team raided a hotel in Kancheepuram and arrested Surya, who confessed that Krishnan had abducted Mohan and killed him. The body was later burnt and the ashes were immersed in a well.

When Surya said Krishnan would be coming to the hotel in the night, Police lay in wait and arrested him around 2300 hrs last night.

Krishnan too confessed to committing the murder and assured the police team that he would show the spot where Mohan was killed and handover the weapons.

The rowdy was taken to Konerikuppam where he hurled five bombs at the police leading to the encounter killing.

Four bombs, which did not explode, were defused.

Surya was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.

UNI