Journalism of Courage
The Tamil Nadu Police Tuesday opened fire at a history-sheeter who allegedly attacked police officers in a bid to escape their custody near Ayanavaram in Chennai city, officials said.
According to the police, the accused identified as Suryah alias Bend Suryah, a history-sheeter, was wanted in a case related to the assault on a sub-inspector (SI), Shankar, attached to the Ayanavaram station during a vehicle check two days ago.
In a case of assaulting the officer, a team led by Ayanavaram SI Meena nabbed Suryah from his sister’s residence in Tiruvallur. The sleuths had earlier tracked down his accomplices Gautham and Ajith on Tuesday.
According to a senior police officer at Ayanavaram, as the police team was on their way back from Tiruvallur, the accused asked the sleuths to stop the vehicle saying that he wanted to take a leak.
“After the vehicle stopped around 11.30 pm near the New Avadi Road near the RTO office, two constables accompanied Suryah to a nearby bush. At that time he spotted a man at a sugarcane juice shop with a knife beside him. The accused ran towards the shop and took hold of the knife and tried to attack the cops. Hearing the scream of the constables, SI Meena stepped out of the vehicle and warned Suryah to put down the weapon. However, Suryah inflicted injuries on the constables and tried to attack the sub-inspector. Even after the woman officer opened fire at the sky as a warning, the accused tried to attack a police officer,” said the officer.
Hence in self-defence, the officer fired below his knee, and the accused as well as the injured officers were taken to the Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital, the officer noted.
The police noted that on Monday, Suryah who was riding pillion on a motorcycle along with two others Gautham and Ajith, was intercepted by SI Shankar around 5 am as part of a vehicle check-up. The gang, who had already committed many offences, including a shop burglary in the Ayanavaram range, refused to stop. As the SI began to chase them, Suryah, who was seated at the end, violently brandished an iron rod at the police officer and fled the spot, the police said.
According to the police, SI Shankar, who fell down and suffered a head injury, was rushed to a nearby hospital.
The police said that they have booked a case under section 307 (attempt to murder) under the Indian Penal Code. While Gautham and Ajith were remanded in judicial custody, the injured Surya will soon be remanded.
