‘C’ category rowdy shot at while escaping, arrested

Karur: Karur city police shot and arrested a notorious criminal known locally as ‘Pencil' M Tamilarasan after a 24-hour manhunt.According to police, Tamilarasan had been evading arrest since a violent assault incident on June 17. They added that Tamilarasan and his associates — identified as Prakash, Hariharan, and Manoj — were involved in a drunken brawl that escalated when they attacked a 51-year-old man, inflicting a head injury with a stick. Based on the victim's complaint, police registered a case. While the three associates were arrested and remanded the same day, Tamilarasan went into hiding.Acting on a tip-off, Karur town inspector G Manivannan, along with his team, located the absconding accused under a flyover on the Karur-Salem Road near Arikaranpalayam. According to police, Tamilarasan brandished a long sword and attempted to attack the officers during the attempted arrest. Manivannan responded by drawing his service pistol and firing a single shot, striking the accused in the right knee."We asked him to surrender; he did not and threatened us with a sickle and then tried to run away. That's when I shot him in self-defence on the back side of his right knee," Manivannan told TOI.Tamilarasan was immediately rushed to Karur Govt Medical College Hospital, where he is currently undergoing treatment.Authorities said that Tamilarasan has 13 pending cases in Karur and one in Pudukottai. His record of repeated offences and violent conduct had placed him under the ‘C' category of rowdy elements, police added.