NE NEWS SERVICE
KANNIYAKUMARI, JAN 9
An unknown gang shot dead a Special Sub Inspector manning the border check post in Kaliyakkavilai in Kanniyakumari district bordering Kerala on Wednesday night.
The incident took place when the Special Sub-Inspector Wilson (57) and few other policemen trying to stop a speeding SUV at Padanthalumoodu check post around 10 p.m.
The SUV was proceeding towards Nagercoil from Thiruvananthapuram. As soon as the police stopped the SUV, a man from the car got off and fired at the SSI. The SSI with three bullets, including, one at chest and abdomen was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where he breathed last.
The gang fled the scene of the crime. The SSI is survived by his wife Anjel Mary and daughters Antris Rimija, 27, an ME graduate, and Vinitha, 26, a person with learning disability.
A police officer said Wilson was just five months away from retirement. The SSI, who was hospitalized for two months due to an accident, had joined duty just four days ago. “Wilson was on lighter duty, and this untoward incident has happened,” he said.
Following Wilson’s death, the Tamil Nadu and Kerala police have launched a massive coordinated search operation to nab the assailants. According to the Tamil Nadu police, the main suspects are two men from Kanyakumari, Shameem and Thoufeeq. It is not known if the men are affiliated to any group, however Tamil Nadu police confirmed that the two men were both wanted by the National Investigation Agency.
A senior police official from Kanyakumari district says, “Special Sub-inspector Wilson was shot by two men last night. These two are already under our radar and are actually wanted by the National Investigaton Agency. We had already unearthed several evidences to point to their location. The Kerala police too is investigating the matter.”
“We were informed by the Tamil Nadu police in the morning that these two men are suspected to have shot Wilson. We are searching for them in Kerala. However, there is a possibility that they went back to Tamil Nadu, as there is some CCTV footage which indicates that. Initially, there was a confusion with regard to the number of the vehicle and the TN police thought the vehicle belonged to a man called Rajkumar. But later they informed us that the two suspects are Shameem and Thoufeeq,” B Ashokan, Thiruvananthapuram Rural SP said.
Tirunelveli Range DIG, Praveen Kumar Abhinapu said that the Tamil Nadu police will be coordinating with their counterparts in Kerala as the vehicle may have left for Thiruvananthapuram.
Three teams have been formed to nab the assailants and more teams will be added as per requirement.
Thiruvananthapuram Rural SP B Ashokan said that the Neyyatinkkara police sub division as well as all patrol teams have been alerted.
Meanwhile, Tamilnadu DGP J K Tripathi today had a discussion with his Kerala counterpart Loknath about the incident and chalked out plans to nab the murderers.
Kannyakumari SP N Shreenath is conducting inquiries. Further investigations are on.
