A notorious rowdy Guna alias Manachanallur Guna alias Gunaseelan involved in grave offences, including murder and who was on the run, was arrested by a special team of the city police here on Thursday.
A country made pistol, six live rounds, a two-wheeler, three cell phones and four SIM cards were recovered by the team from Guna who has been remanded and lodged in the Central Prison here.
Involved in 23 cases, including five murders besides robbery and kidnapping, Guna was apprehended by the team during a vehicle check conducted on Tiruchi–Samaypuram Main Road near Mambazha Salai.
The rowdy who came in an unregistered motorcycle pushed a sub-inspector and threatened to kill him by showing the country made pistol. The police team chased Guna and apprehended him, Commissioner of Police Shailesh Kumar Yadav said on Friday.
The Srirangam police has registered a case on a complaint from the sub-inspector under different IPC sections and under the Arms Act.
Terming Guna as a dangerous element, Mr. Yadav told presspersons here that investigation was on to find out those who had been supporting and harbouring Guna who was involved in “katta panchayat”.
The police were on the look out for Guna who was on the run for one year and had been constantly changing his SIM cards, Mr. Yadav said. The police received intelligence information about the rowdy moving with a pistol causing concern that he could breach peace and create insecurity.
A couple of days ago, Guna had extorted money from a person by name Prabhakaran at Woraiyur and a case was booked against him in this connection, he said. Five warrants were pending against him — three in city police limits, one in Tiruchi district, and one in Chengalpattu.
Noting that Guna’s arrest was a good catch, Mr. Yadav said the timing was right as the rowdy could have been used for settling scores during the election period.
The pistol used by Guna was bought from a person in Villupuram, the Commissioner said.
Although the pistol was a country made weapon, it had a good calibre and was as good as an original weapon of that kind, he said. Stating that the city police had been going after anti-social elements, he said eight rowdies were arrested in the last one month and sent for remand.
