Chennai: A dreaded inter-State criminal Murugan (45) alias ‘Neeravi’ Murugan was shot dead in an encounter in which four policemen were injured at Nanguneri here in this district of Tamilnadu on Wednesday.
Police said he was facing 86 cases, including three murders, across Tamilnadu.
District Superintendent of Police P Saravanan, after visiting the encounter site told newspersons that the criminal was wanted in cases including murders, attempt to murder, robbery, dacoity, extortion, chain snatching etc in various districts of Tamilnadu.
He was accused in the sensational robbery of 280 sovereigns of gold jewellery and Rs 25 lakh cash from the house of a doctor couple, after tying them at Oddanchatram in Dindigul district on 15 February.
Acting on a tip off that Murugan was hiding in a forest area near Nanguneri, a special police team from Dindigul, headed by Sub Inspector E Esakkiraja rounded up the area and tried to arrest him.
When Murugan attacked the cops with sickle and attempted to escape, police shot him in self defence, killing him on the spot.
The body was sent to Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital (TVMCH) for post-mortem.
Four policemen sustained cut injuries in the attack and were treated at the TVMCH, he added.
The police said Murugan left his family in his teenage years and settled down on Muniyasamy Temple Street in Thoothukudi, where he came in touch with criminals.