Police Officer Shoots Murder Suspect During Escape Attempt in Vellore

A police sub-inspector shot a murder suspect in the right leg early Tuesday after the man attacked him with a machete during an escape bid at Sengundram village near Gudiyatham town in Vellore.

The Incident

The 33-year-old injured officer, S. Raja, has served with the Gudiyatham Taluk police for six months after moving from Vellore town. Around 5 a.m. on November 10, 2026, a special police team led by Inspector Tamilselvan took the 29-year-old suspect, K. Poovarasan, to a village house to check for hidden weapons. Police stated that Poovarasan faces over 20 criminal cases across multiple district police stations. He had allegedly killed 49-year-old local PMK functionary Gnanavel with a countrymade gun near a village bus stop on Monday evening due to an old enmity. Gnanavel's friend Ragu, 40, was also hurt in that shooting and taken to Vellore GH.

Arrest and Hospitalization

While at the house, Poovarasan suddenly pulled out a machete and slashed sub-inspector Raja on the left arm before trying to run away. The officer fired his weapon, hitting Poovarasan in the right ankle, and police arrested him on the spot. Both men reached Government Taluk Hospital in Gudiyatham town by 6.30 a.m. District Superintendent of Police N.U. Sivaraman visited the wounded officer at the hospital. Chief Medical Officer S. Manjunath reported that Poovarasan was later moved to Government Medical College and Hospital in Vellore for treatment in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, while the sub-inspector remains in stable condition. Local police registered a case and are continuing their investigation.

Context

Incidents of police firing during armed escape attempts typically happen when suspects try to evade custody by attacking law enforcement personnel. Such events prompt swift medical care for both injured officers and suspects while legal proceedings continue under local criminal laws.