Law and order: Close watch on gangsters help police prevent a possible double murder

Intensified monitoring of gangsters by the police has led to arrest of an armed gang that was planning a double murder in Madurai City.

Acting on a tip-off about an armed gang lurking in a secluded area, the Avaniyapuram Police on Wednesday rushed to Vaikkom Periyar Nagar. The alert turned out to be true as the police found six persons with sharp weapons.

Upon seeing the police, they took to their heels, but after a hot chase the police team managed to nab them. The police later identified them as a notorious gangsters led by P. Kumar alias Pipe Kumar (41) and five of his accomplices.

Interrogation revealed that the gang led by Kumar had rivalry with another gang headed by Machcha Siva of the same locality. They had competed with each other over area domination during temple festivals.

In March 2020, an unidentified person had sought help from Kumar for a job. Kumar got him a food packet and dropped him at Vaikkom Periyar Nagar at night with the promise of picking him up the next morning to find a job for him.

Machcha Siva and his gang noticed the youth and enquired with him. When he said that he was dropped by Kumar, the rivals mistook him to be a mercenary employed by Kumar to bump off Machcha Siva.

Consequently, they beheaded the youth, who was later identified as Thirunavukarasu of Pattukottai. This further deepend their rivalry.

In this backdrop, Machcha Siva, who had been arrested in Tirunavukkarasu murder case, got out of jail two years back.

This forced Kumar to move into the city from Vaikkom Periyar Nagar, which is a junction for the jurisdictions of three police stations -- Avaniyapuram of Madurai City, Silaiman of Madurai Rural police and Tiruppuvanam of Sivaganga district.

Meanwhile, Machcha Siva was arrested in some case and was languishing in the jail.

But, Kumar got an alert that Machcha Siva was conspiring from behind the bars to murder him with the help of his accomplices.

Kumar, along with his gang, planned to pre-empt the attempt on his life by finishing off Machcha Siva’s friends.

They got ready with weapons like knives and swords. Even as they were waiting for an opportune time, Kumar thought of mobilising enough money to fight the case in the court after murdering his rivals.

“Only when, they were planning for a robbery, the police team rounded them up,” a police officer said.

The role of DARE (Drive Against Rowdy Elements) Officers nominated in each police station led to the tip-off on the movements of Pipe Kumar and his arrest.

Besides, sharing of intelligence inputs with police of neighbouring districts helped to keep an eye on the gangsters operating from different district police limits, the officer said.

Published - September 20, 2024 10:33 pm IST