Chennai: A notorious rowdy was killed in a police encounter after he allegedly attacked the men in khaki at Madhavaram early today.
According to reports, the rowdy, Vallarasu (20) of Vyasarpadi, was wanted in 10 murder, attempt to murder and assault cases.
“He was just 17 when he was a murder accused,” a police source said, adding that he was part of the ‘Vyasarpadi Kathiravan’ gang.
Yesterday, the police had received information that he was going to carry out a murder and that he was “roaming at M M Garden, Madhavaram” with a knife. When Vyasarpadi police constables Pounraj and Ramesh went to arrest the rowdy, it led to a scuffle.
Vallarasu is said to have attacked Pounraj indiscriminately with his aruval. A grievously injured Pounraj was admitted to the Stanley hospital for treatment.
In the meantime, police received information that the rowdy was hiding near the Madhavaram mofussil bus terminus. Subsequently, at 4.30 am today, Vallarasu was rounded up at the hideout along with his associates Kathiravan and Karthik.
When inspectors Miller and Ravi led a team of policemen to arrest him, the rowdy attacked inspectors Premkumar and Deepan with his aruval.
As Vallarasu tried to flee the spot, the police chased him and opened fire. He suffered injuries and was rushed to Government Stanley Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. He was shot thrice on his legs and chest, it is said.
His associates Vyasarpadi Kathiravan and Perambur Karthik were subsequently arrested.
Constable Pounraj was shifted from Stanley hospital to a private hospital at Thousand Lights. He was administered 20 stitches on his forehead. The two SIs were also being treated in hospital.
Policemen have been deployed near Vallarasu’s house to maintain law and order. His body will be handed over to his family after post-mortem. A judicial inquiry is under way in the case.
City Police Commissioner A K Viswanathan called the injured policemen in hospital.