The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Out on bail and vulnerable Law & order

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Saturday, Apr 12, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Out on bail and vulnerable Law & order

There is no escaping danger for many accused, says
S. Vijay Kumar

It was a double murder in full public view. The incident of two persons being brutally killed in broad daylight in the busy Out Post area in the city sent jitters among people.

Unmindful of various police establishments in close vicinity, including the office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Madurai range), a gang that came in motorcycles attacked the victims with deadly weapons, killing them on the spot.

The murders took place even as the Director General of Police, staying in the police guest house on the DIG camp office premises just metres away, was preparing to chair a meeting of IGs, DIGs and SPs in southern districts to review law and order situation. Within minutes, the police concluded that the incident was an offshoot of a 2007-murder in the Surandai police station limits near Tenkasi in Tirunelveli district.

“The two persons who were killed in Madurai were accused in the 2007-murder that involved money transactions. They were released on conditional bail and directed to sign in the Tallakulam police station daily. It appears that the rival gang was following their movements and organised the attack. Even before the police could react, they vanished. There is little police can do in preventing such pre-planned or revenge murders,” a senior police official said.

The Inspector General and Commissioner of Police, K. Nandabalan, said that the police arrested an accused while four others involved in the double murder case surrendered in the court.

Against bail plea

“In grave offences, we oppose the bail plea of accused as there is a possibility of their being attacked outside. When the threat is specific, we even alert them to be safe.”

Mr. Nandabalan said that stringent action was being taken against notorious criminals in the city. In the last nine months, 72 habitual offenders involved in grave crimes were detained under the Goondas Act and proposals were being perused to detain a few more. “When the accused in sensitive cases get released on bail, we sometimes shadow them based on intelligence inputs.”

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