A magisterial inquiry has begun into the death of two history-sheeters, who were killed in an encounter by the Madurai city police at Sikkander Chavadi on the outskirts of the city on Thursday evening.
Vadipatti Judicial Magistrate K. Vignes Madhu on Friday visited the mortuary at the Government Rajaji hospital, where the bodies of M. Karthik alias Saguni Karthik and I. Muthuirulandi alias Manthiri were kept for post-mortem.
Later in the day, the magistrate inspected the scene of the encounter in Sikkander Chavadi.
Based on a complaint from the Inspector of Police, the Alanganallur police registered a case under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure.
“Since an officer in the rank of Inspector of Police was involved in the encounter, the investigation has been handed over to the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Alanganallur,” Madurai Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan said.
The police have booked Muthulakshmi, wife of Muthuirulandi, and Ravi, his brother-in-law, on the charge of preventing law enforcement officials from nabbing the accused before the shoot-out.
Stating that a report on the encounter had been sent to both the National Human Rights Commission and the State Human Rights Commission, Mr. Manivannan said the probe by the rural district police will be based on the guidelines issued by the SHRC.
An attempt to attack the police with a country-made pistol and a machete prompted them to open fire, the SP claimed. Three persons, including one Mayakannan, whose house was where the encounter took place, fled the spot at the time of the incident, he added.
Meanwhile, the bodies of both the history-sheeters were handed over to their respective families after post-mortem on Friday evening.
