Police shoot crime kingpin dead in Tamil Nadu

Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu), Apr 2 (PTI) The kingpin of a gang that was targeting truck drivers here and robbing them was shot at by police, after he assaulted police personnel who attempted to arrest him here, and he succumbed to his injuries, police said on Wednesday.

Based on a tip-off, a special police team surrounded the head of the criminal gang, Vijay alias Mottai Vijay, belonging to Puducherry, who was hiding in a grove here and asked him to surrender. However, in order to escape, he assaulted two police personnel using a machete one after the other, despite warnings of a police inspector, who led the team.

"The inspector had no choice and he had to open fire to protect his life and the lives of the police personnel," Cuddalore police superintendent Jayakumar told reporters.

Vijay was immediately rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced brought dead and the two police personnel who sustained injuries were being treated at the hospital. The deceased had over 30 serious criminal cases against him, including cases in Puducherry. PTI VGN KH