CHENNAI: A 45-year-old history-sheeter, Kakka Thope Balaji, was shot dead by police at a dilapidated BSNL quarters at Vyasarpadi in Chennai in the early hours of Wednesday. He has 59 cases, including six murders and 17 attempted murders, pending against him at various police stations.
According to police, Balaji was shot in ‘self-defence’ when he allegedly opened fire at a police team that was pursuing him after he tried to evade a vehicle check at MKB Nagar. The police recovered more than 10kg of ganja and a sickle from his car.
According to an official release, around 4.30 am on Wednesday, SI Nadhamuni and constable Sugan attached to the Kodungaiyur police were conducting a vehicle check at Mullai Nagar Junction in MKB Nagar.
During the check, they stopped the car in which the history-sheeter was travelling. When a man sitting in the passenger seat got down from the vehicle as the police were conducting inquiry with him, Balaji sped away with the car.
Police deny any link between Armstrong and Balaji murder
The SI alerted the control room who then informed Kodungaiyur inspector Saravanan and a police team on night patrol. The team spotted the car and chased it to the BSNL quarters in Vyasarpadi. As the police vehicle followed it inside, the driver of the car got down and allegedly fired at the police vehicle.
“Despite our warning, the driver fired at us again. In self-defence, inspector Saravanan retaliated and the person was hit on the chest,” the release said. Though police rushed him to GH, he succumbed to injuries. Police claimed that it was only after the incident they found that the man shot was ‘Kakkathope’ Balaji.
A case was registered by the Vyasarpadi police and Balaji’s body was sent to Royapettah Hospital for postmortem. Pravesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police, Chennai (North), said, “The police team have detained Sathyamurthy, the co-passenger of Balaji. The weapon used by Balaji was a country-made gun.” The joint commissioner said there was no connection between Balaji and Armstrong murder.
