Arrest of Key Suspect in Retired TN Police Officer's Murder

Chennai, March 19 (NationPress) The Tirunelveli police apprehended the main suspect, Thowfeeque alias Krishnamoorthy, in relation to the homicide of retired Tamil Nadu Police sub-inspector Zakir Hussain Bijli on Wednesday.

This arrest occurred after a shootout in which the suspect sustained a leg injury following an assault on a police officer with a sickle.

Acting on intelligence, a specialized police unit located Thowfeeque on a hillock near Reddiyarpatti on the outskirts of Palayamkottai. During the attempt to detain him, Thowfeeque reportedly attacked Head Constable Anand, injuring him on the left shoulder. In retaliation, the police shot him in the left leg to avert further aggression and secure his capture. Both the wounded suspect and the head constable were taken to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, where their conditions are stable.

Bijli was murdered in Tirunelveli on Tuesday.

In February, he shared a video on social media expressing apprehensions for his safety, identifying police officers Gopalakrishnan and Senthil Kumar, and accusing them of facilitating those plotting his assassination. He claimed they neglected to intervene in a land dispute that endangered his life. Following his murder, public outrage surged, prompting discussions in the state Assembly.

In light of this, Inspector Gopalakrishnan of Tirunelveli town was suspended. Disciplinary measures were also initiated against then Assistant Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli Town, Senthil Kumar, who is presently serving as Assistant Commissioner of Police, Intelligence, in Coimbatore.

Bijli’s family retrieved his body on Wednesday after assurances from Santosh Hadimani, Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli City, that action would be taken against the police officers named in his complaint.

His son, Z. Rahman, voiced his discontent over the police's inaction before the murder, stating: "The police disregarded my father’s plea, compelling him to share a video on social media to inform the world of the threats he faced. Now, the worst has transpired. We seek a thorough investigation by the CB-CID as we have lost faith in the Tirunelveli town police."

AIADMK Tirunelveli district president Thatchai N. Ganesa Raja also condemned the police, asserting that their negligence directly led to Bijli's murder. He pointed out a contentious aspect of the case, noting that Thowfeeque converted to Islam nine years ago, yet the police registered a case against Bijli under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

"According to legal stipulations, an individual who has converted to Islam cannot be categorized as a Scheduled Caste. Filing a case against Bijli under this Act was a significant error. Meanwhile, the police failed to act against those threatening his life. This murder highlights the shortcomings of the police system," he claimed.