Gangster shot dead in Chennai; 10kg drugs, sickle seized from car

In an extra judicial killing, police shot a 40-year-old gangster “Kakkathope” Balaji in Chennai’s Vyasarpadi on Tuesday morning. The gangster fired two rounds with his gun aimed at the police who shot back in self-defence, the Chennai police said.
While police personnel were conducting a routine vehicle inspection on September 18, at 4.32am they stopped a car with two men inside with a bag. When police asked them to come out, both the driver and the passenger initially hesitated. When police insisted, the passenger came down with a bag when the driver whom police would learn later is gangster Balaji sped off. Police immediately alerted it to the control room in the city.
“Balaji who was driving the car suddenly sped in an attempt to escape and police personnel chased them,” a police officer said. “Around 4.50am, when the route was blocked, Balaji had to stop the car. When the inspector who was behind him tried to get out of the police vehicle, immediately, Balaji got down from the car and fired his handgun aiming for the inspector. But the bullet pierced the front windshield. The police warned him not to shoot. But, he fired for the second and it hit the front door of the police vehicle. In self defence, a police inspector shot at Balaji who fell down immediately.” The bullet had pierced Balaji’s left chest. No police personnel was injured in the incident. The policemen took the gangster in the police vehicle to the Stanley government hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“Balaji is a history sheeter. He has 58 cases against him including six murder cases and 17 attempted murder cases and a ganja case,” said Pravesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, North Zone, Chennai. When police searched the car later, they found 10 kg of ganja inside the bag and a sickle in the backseat. An FIR has been registered at the Vyasarpadi police station for the magisterial enquiry. Balaji had come out of jail last month while his accomplice in the car was identified as Sathyamoorthy. “He is in custody now. We have to investigate him,” said the deputy commissioner.
Balaji’s mother Kanmani alleged that the killing was premeditated by the police. “He was returning from Tirupathi temple… Police wanted to close the cases, so my son is dead,” his mother told reporters. Police dismissed the allegation. “It is not true. However, a judicial enquiry will bring out the truth,” said the deputy commissioner.