The Tamil Nadu police shot dead a man, accused of murdering a snack-seller last month, in the Kariapatti area in Salem district on Wednesday. The man, reported to have a criminal history, was identified as Kathirvel. Police said that he had attempted to escape from custody when he was shot. Family members refused to take Kathirvel’s body on Wednesday, demanding an inquiry into his death.
According to one report in the Times of India, Kathirvel was being taken to Kullampatti village to recover weapons used in the murder of one C Ganesan of Mettupatty Dadanur. Kathirvel was accused of murdering Ganesan after the latter’s body was found with severe head injuries on April 5. According to the TOI report, the police initially suspected a road accident since Ganesan’s body was found near his bike. However, the autopsy report indicated that he had suffered head injuries caused by an iron rod. Kathirvel was booked under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, following which he reportedly confessed to the murder on account of personal enmity.
It was when Kathirvel accompanied two police officers to the spot where he had hidden his weapons that things reportedly got out of hand. According to a report in the Deccan Chronicle, inspector Subramaniam and sub-inspector Mari of the Kariapatti police station cornered Kathirvel when he reportedly threw ‘deadly weapons’ at them. The police officers said that they shot the accused in self-defence. Kathirvel’s body was then sent to the Salem General Hospital.
Kathirvel’s family members demanded an inquiry into the death, stating that Kathirvel had already surrendered and there had been no need to shoot him in an encounter. The Vazhapadi magistrate’s court ordered an inquiry following which the post-mortem is set to be conducted.