Amid intense public outrage over the kidnapping and murder of a minor sister and brother in Coimbatore,the police on Tuesday morning shot dead the main accused as he allegedly tried to escape from custody. The encounter came just days after 10-year-old Muskan and her brother 7-year-old Ritish were murdered,allegedly by Mohanraj,who used to drive their school van earlier. Mohanraj alias Mohanakrishnan,23,is believed to have kidnapped the two children of a Coimbatore textile merchant,and murdered them after he panicked. An alleged accomplice,Manoharan,a tractor driver,is under arrest. The killings had led to an outcry in the city,with many including actor Vijay,who joined the protests seeking nothing less than the death penalty for the accused. According to reports from Coimbatore,the news of Mohanrajs death was received with bursting of crackers and distribution of sweets in some quarters. Speaking to the media,the childrens father,Ranjit Kumar,said the day was like Diwali for the family,adding that such encounters it was Coimbatores first would dissuade others from making any such attempts. On Monday,the police had secured custody of Mohanraj and Manoharan for three days for questioning. This morning,at around 5.30,police set off for the murder spot in Ankalakurichi near Pollachi,with Mohanraj and Manoharan on two different vehicles. The police claim that a railway gate on one of the routes was closed and so they had to take an alternative route through Podanur. When the vehicle reached a garbage dump in the area,Mohanraj snatched the service pistol from Sub-Inspector Jothi and threatened to shoot the personnel accompanying him, said Coimbatore city Police Commissioner C Sylendra Babu IG. The police say Mohanraj shot and injured two personnel,Jothi and Sub-Inspector Muthumalai. Apparently then Inspector Annadurai opened fire at Mohanraj,shooting him at least twice in the head and once in the chest. Mohanraj died on way to hospital,the police said.
