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Friday, Jul 10, 2009
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Constable on escort duty shoots prisoner to death

S. Vijay Kumar

Says two prisoners tried to escape

Police suspect it to be revenge killing

CHENNAI: In a suspected case of revenge killing, a Head Constable shot two remand prisoners, who were accused in the murder of his mother, while escorting them to a court near Tiruttani in Tiruvallur on Thursday.

While one remand prisoner, R. Dhanasekhar (24), died on the spot, the other, V. Seeman (28), escaped with minor injuries. Head Constable R. Murugan (42) was arrested on charges of murder and remanded to judicial custody.

According to police sources, the shooting took place when the Head Constable along with a few other police personnel was taking Dhanasekhar, Seeman and four other accused from the Puzhal central prison to the court. As the police vehicle was nearing Pattranthangal, Murugan opened two rounds of fire from his service rifle on the two prisoners. Murugan claimed that the duo had tried to escape, forcing him to open fire.

“Preliminary inquiry revealed that no attempt was made by the prisoners to escape… Dhanasekhar and Seeman had killed Murugan’s mother, Muniammal (65), for gain at R.K Pet on September 5 last year,” Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) K. Radhakrishnan told The Hindu. A murder and attempt to murder case was registered against the Head Constable.

“We will also conduct a departmental enquiry. As there was shortage of Armed Reserve policemen, Murugan, attached to the local police, was sent on escort duty. How he was allowed to escort prisoners accused in his mother’s murder case is under investigation.

Murugan was the only policeman with a weapon in the vehicle,” Mr. Radhakrishnan said.

Tiruvallur Superintendent of Police M.C. Sarangan said the version of Murugan that the prisoners attempted to escape was not “dependable.” Police sources said Dhanasekhar was accused in three murder-for-gain cases. All his three victims were senior citizens.

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