A special team of police handling an operation against rowdy elements claimed they caught a history-sheeter shooting him in his leg after he attacked them in Somangalam, a suburb in the early hours of Wednesday.
Tambaram Police Commissioner A. Amalraj told The Hindu, "He attacked one of the police constables in the special team with a knife when they tried to nab him in Somangalam Police station limits. Our inspector fired at his leg and then the team captured him."
The history-sheeter was identified as Sachin, 26, from Rajagopal Kandigai, Erumaiyur village near Somangalam in the Kancheepuram district. Police said he had several pending cases against him in Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu district.
Sources said Sachin was a close associate of a gangster Mathew in the suburbs. His gang was also involved in many cases of murders, attempt to murder and extortion.
On Tuesday night, acting on credible information the Somangalam Inspector of Police J. Shivakumar and his team were looking for the accused who was reportedly hiding in the forest area in Naduveerapattu. At around 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sachin and his associate Bharath were riding their bike at a high speed and were intercepted by the special team near a private college premises in Somangalam.
The accused hurled two country-made bombs at the police team, since the country-made bomb did not explode, they used a knife to assault the police constable M. Baskar who was injured in his left arm. Mr. Shivakumar warned him to surrender. However, he failed to heed the warning.
To prevent a further assault on the policemen and in self-defence, the Inspector of Police fired a few rounds from his 9 mm pistol. The accused Sachin was injured as two bullets had hit him in his right thigh. However, Bharath managed to escape. The injured Sachin and police constable M. Baskar were immediately taken to Govt. Hospital, Chromepet for treatment. The policeman is out of danger.
Sachin is stable and was shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital for further treatment, police said.
The two-wheeler used by the accused was found to be a stolen vehicle. Search is on to secure Bharath, said police.
