The Keeranur police arrested three people on Monday, November 22, in connection with the murder of a 50-year-old special sub-inspector S Boominathan, attached to Navalpattu police station. Two of those arrested are juveniles, aged nine and 14, and the third person is 19-year-old P Manikandan. Boominathan was killed during his night patrolling on Sunday after he chased the trio for stealing goats. Manikandan (19) is a native of Thanjavur district and the other two juveniles are natives of Pudukkottai district.
A statement released by the police said on Sunday that SSI Boominathan, attached to Trichy rural police of Navalpattu police station, along with other police personnel, had been doing night patrolling. When the SSI was near Poolangudi colony, located in the outskirts of Trichy district, he noticed a few people fleeing on a bike between 2 am to 3 am on Sunday.
The three people arrested were allegedly fleeing with stolen goats, and refused to stop the bike, so Boominathan had chased the trio. Though Boominathan managed to catch up with them at 3 am near Pallathupatti, an area near Trichy-Pudukottai border, they allegedly attacked the SSI on his head, using a knife they had kept hidden in the bike. Boominathan died on the spot, said the statement.
The body was retrieved by the police and sent to Trichy Mahatma Gandhi Government General Hospital for an autopsy. Under the orders of Trichy range higher police officials, four special teams headed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police were deployed to find the accused. On Monday, the three accused were arrested under Section 405 (criminal breach of trust) and under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. Further investigation is still underway, added the police statement.
The deceased SSI was buried with police honours on Sunday. Boominathan is survived by his wife Kavitha and a 21-year-old son. Following the death report, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore to the family and a state government job to one of the family members.