Cop shoots at teen after attack on constable in Tirunelveli | Madurai News

MADURAI: A teenager with a machete who attacked and injured a man and a cop who came his rescue was shot and injured in the chest by a sub-inspector who opened fire when the assailant turned on him near Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli early on Tuesday, police said.The incident occurred when a police patrol responded to a distress call from Sakthikumar, 22, who was attacked by two teenagers at Rasthavanur near Pappakudi on Monday night. Police said the teens were upset with Sakthikumar for reporting them to the cops for rowdyism. Sakthikumar, who was injured in the leg, fled from the spot and hid at a nearby house. When the police patrol arrived and confronted them, the teens attacked and injured constable Ranjit in the leg.By then sub-inspector Murugan of Pappakudi police station reached the spot and tried to calm the teenagers, but they attacked him.Murugan took refuge in a house nearby, but the teens gave chase and started hacking open the door with the machete, police said. SI Murugan then fired at them through the splintered door. The teens then fled the scene.Tirunelveli district SP N Silambarasan said that the SI opened fire due to the extraordinary circumstances that prevailed then, to protect the lives of people. Police fanned out to search for the two attackers and found them hiding not far away. One of the teens had a gunshot injury in his chest. He was admitted to Tirunelveli govt medical college hospital for treatment. His condition was stable. The injured Sakthikumar and constable Ranjit were also hospitalised.The Pappakudi police registered a case under various sections of BNS against the teens who had a dozen previous criminal cases against them, including of murder, hurling of petrol bombs, and under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. Police said documents showed the teen who suffered the gunshot, Shanmughasundaram, had turned 18 four days ago. The other one was 17. The minor had been sent to a govt observation home.