MADURAI: The Tirunelveli city police on Wednesday shot in the leg of Krishnamurthy alias Thoufiq, who was accused in the murder of retired sub-inspector Jahir Hussain Bijili, when he attempted to attack a police party that tried to arrest him. Thoufiq, who was shot in the leg, and head constable Anand, who sustained injuries from Thoufiq, were admitted to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital.
Jahir Hussain Bijili, 60, a retired sub-inspector and trustee of a local mosque, was hacked to death in Thaikka area on Tuesday morning by a three-member gang while he was walking back home after morning prayers. A few months earlier, Bijili alleged that Thoufiq was threatening him for preventing him from encroaching on a Wakf Board property in the locality.
Police investigations revealed that Thoufiq and his relatives were involved in the murder. Three teams were formed to nab Thoufiq and his wife, Noorunisha and others. Noorunisha’s brother, Akbar Shah, and Thoufiq’s brother, Karthik, surrendered before the Tirunelveli judicial magistrate on Tuesday. Thoufiq and Noorunisha remained at large.
A police team rounded up Thoufiq in his hideout at Reddiarpatti in Perumalpuram police limits on Wednesday afternoon. When they attempted to nab him, he drew out a sickle and attacked the cops. They shot Thoufiq, injuring his leg to capture him.
Earlier, the family alleged that Tirunelveli Town police did not act on the threat complaint of Bijili when the dispute happened in last December. In a social media post, Bijili had alleged that Tirunelveli Town inspector Gopalakrishnan was biased and booked him under SC/ST Act based on the complaint of Thaufiq though he had submitted CCTV footage of Thoufiq threatening him.
Bijili’s family members refused to accept his body unless the police department took action against Gopalakrishnan and former Town ACP Senthilkumar, who is currently working as ACP intelligence in Coimbatore. The police department later suspended Gopalakrishnan and recommended departmental action against former Town ACP Senthilkumar, following which the family accepted the body.