Habitual offender attacks SI with machete, shot at by police in Sivaganga

Akilan, 25, a habitual offender from Kachanatham near Tirupachethi in Sivaganga district, was shot at by a police officer after he attacked a Sub-Inspector, Guhan, during a vehicle check under Kalayarkovil police station limits on Saturday.

Akilan, 25, a habitual offender from Kachanatham near Tirupachethi in Sivaganga district, who attacked a Sub-Inspector of Police, Guhan, with a machete during a vehicle check under Kalayarkovil police station limits on Saturday, was shot at by an Inspector.

The police said Akilan, who was wanted in five murder cases in Sivaganga, Madurai and Ramanathapuram districts, had been absconding for over 10 months. He also figured in heinous crime cases such as attempt to murder and ganga smuggling in Sivaganga, Madurai, Dindigul and Tiruvannamalai districts. Twenty-two cases were pending against him.

For the last two days, the police got specific inputs about his movements and they had intensified their search.

When Inspector Adivel, Sub-Inspector Guhan and a police team were checking vehicles on Kallal Road near Kalakanmoi, they stopped a car. Akilan got down from the vehicle and attacked Mr. Guhan with a machete, and Mr. Adivel opened fire at Akilan, in which he suffered injuries below his knee.

Both Mr. Guhan and Akilan were rushed to Sivaganga Government Medical College Hospital, from where Akilan was referred to Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.

Sivaganga Superintendent of Police Dongare Praveen Umesh visited the SI at the hospital. The doctors said Mr. Guhan was in a stable condition.

Kalayarkovil police have registered a case in this connection. A search in the car, driven by Akilan, revealed that he had stocked 22 kg of ganja in it. They seized the narcotics substance and the vehicle.