Rowdy with 30+ cases killed in encounter in Tamil Nadu’s Madhavaram

CHENNAI: An A-plus category history-sheeter involved in more than 30 cases, including three murders and a dacoity, was gunned down in a police encounter near Madhavaram around 5.45am on Monday, apparently after he attacked two policemen with a sickle.The deceased rowdy was identified as R Ganesh alias Dilli Ganesh alias ‘Thoppai’ Ganesan, 35, of Seventh Street in Bakthavatchalam Colony, Vyasarpadi. He was involved in murders reported in Sembium, Vyasarpadi and Sholavaram. The Vyasarpadi police opened a historysheet record on him and maintained him on the A-plus category list.On Jan 30, a dacoity case was registered at Puzhal police station based on a complaint filed by V Vasantha, 47, stating that six men gained entry into her house and robbed gold, silver jewellery and Rs25 lakh in cash. During the investigation, police identified 10 accused people. Five were arrested, while five others, including Ganesh, had absconded. A special team was formed under inspector K Boopathiraja of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar police station to arrest the absconding accused.On March 15, specific input was received that Ganesh was hiding in Manjampakkam near the Madhavaram police station limits. In the early morning of March 16, the team led by Boopathiraja spotted Ganesh hiding in a dilapidated building abutting the 200-feet road from Madhavaram Chinna roundabout. When the team attempted to apprehend him, Ganesh tried to escape by assaulting sub-inspector Subramani and head constable Dinesh Kumar with a sickle. Both suffered injuries.When Ganesh tried to assault the policemen again, and also advanced to assault the inspector, the latter opened fire at him. Ganesh suffered two gunshot injuries and fell down. The injured accused and the two injured policemen were taken to govt Stanley hospital, where doctors declared Ganesh dead on arrival. The two policemen are under treatment. Based on a complaint filed by inspector Boopathiraja, the Madhavaram police registered a case.Additional commissioner of police (North Chennai) Pravesh Kumar, deputy commissioner Kumar, and other senior police officers visited the old building where Ganesh had been hiding before attempting to flee after attacking the two policemen.This is the fifth case of encounter killing after A Arun assumed charge as Chennai city commissioner of police in 2024.Thiruvengadam, a suspect in the K Armstrong murder case, was shot dead on July 5, 2024. In Sept 2024, history-sheeter ‘Kakathope’ Balaji was shot dead. A week later, a second history-sheeter, ‘Seizing’ Raja, was shot dead. In the fourth incident, an Iranian robbery gang member, Jaffar Ghulam Hussain Irani, who was involved in more than 150 burglary and robbery cases, was gunned down by a police team on March 26, 2025, after he opened fire on police at Taramani.Further investigation is on.