Tiruppur SSI murder: Prime accused Manikandan shot dead in extrajudicial killing

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In an extrajudicial killing, Manikandan, the prime accused in the murder of Special Sub-Inspector (SSI) M Shanmugavel in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur district, was shot dead by police in an alleged act of self-defence during the early hours of Thursday, August 7, near Upparu stream in Chikkanur. 

According to multiple reports, Manikandan was being taken to the scene of the crime (SOC) by a special investigation team to retrieve the murder weapon. Police alleged that Manikandan attacked Sub-Inspector Saravanakumar and attempted to escape. In response, the police team, led by Inspector Thirungagasambandan, opened fire at Manikandan and he succumbed to his injuries on the spot. His body was taken to the Tiruppur Government Medical College Hospital for post-mortem.

The incident comes just two days after SSI Shanmugavel, aged 57, was hacked to death while on duty in Gudimangalam village. 

Reacting to the development, DMK ally Congress party MPs Karti P Chidambaram and Sasikanth Senthil have slammed Tamil Nadu police. 

Taking to X, Karti Chidambaram said, “Encounters, custodial deaths and torture are all unprofessional policing.” 

Similarly, in a strongly worded reaction, Sasikanth Senthil termed the extrajudicial killing of Manikandan ‘outrageous’ and a ‘cold-blooded murder by the State’. “The murder of an SSI in the line of duty is deeply saddening, and no words can truly console the family. But does that justify another cold-blooded murder by the State, without even ascertaining what really happened?” he asked. 

Further, Sasikanth said that Manikandan was a poor labourer and not a habitual offender or a rowdy. “The usual justification by the police falls flat here.” 

“When the state starts executing instead of prosecuting, the line between justice and vengeance collapses. This is not law and order, it is lawlessness in uniform,” Sasikanth wrote on X. 

On August 5, Shanmugavel was on patrol duty and responding to a domestic dispute involving Manikandan, his brother Thangapandian, and their father Murthy alias Thuvakudiyan (65). The trio, who were residing and working on a farm in Gudimangalam village owned by All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MLA C Mahendran, had allegedly been drinking when a quarrel broke out.

Police said that during the argument, the sons assaulted their father. When neighbours alerted the police via the 100 emergency helpline, SSI Shanmugavel and Constable Azhagu Raja responded. Shanmugavel arranged for the injured father to be taken to the hospital. Enraged by the intervention, Manikandan attacked the officer with a sharp weapon, killing him on the spot. The assailants then attempted to attack the constable and the farm manager, both of whom managed to escape and reach the police station.

While Murthy and Thangapandian surrendered to the Superintendent of Police on August 6, Manikandan had gone into hiding. Six special teams were constituted to trace and apprehend him.

Meanwhile, in a statement on August 6, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin condemned the killing of the police officer and announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore to Shanmugavel’s family. “The death of Shanmugavel is an irreparable loss to both the Tamil Nadu Police Department and to his family,” the CM said.

Inspector General of Police (West Zone) T Senthil Kumar stated that cases were already registered against all three accused. Manikandan and Thangapandian had four criminal cases each, while two were pending against Murthy.

Further investigation is underway about the motive and sequence of events leading to the attack.