Salem, May 24: A 26-year-old man accused of the brutal murder of a 70-year-old woman in Omalur, Salem, was shot in the leg by police early Saturday after he attacked two officers with a machete while trying to escape from his hideout near Sankari Fort.

The accused, Naresh Kumar of Kattikaranoor village in Omalur block, is a habitual offender with over 20 robbery cases registered against him across various police stations in the district.

The incident traces back to May 20, when the victim, Sarasu alias Saraswathi, a resident of Chinnerikadu in Omalur, was murdered while grazing her cattle. Her body was discovered by locals along a roadside path, bearing injuries to her ear and nose.

Initial investigation suggested that she had been attacked for her gold jewellery, with at least one sovereign of gold reported stolen. A murder and robbery case was registered by the Deevattipatti police. In response, special teams were formed to track down the suspect.

Based on intelligence inputs and surveillance, police identified Naresh Kumar as the prime suspect and located his hideout at the foothills of Sankari Fort.

During the early hours of Saturday, a special police team closed in on his location. However, as officers attempted to apprehend him, Naresh Kumar brandished a machete and violently attacked Sub-Inspector Vijayaraghavan and Constable Selvakumar, injuring both.

In an act of self-defence and to prevent his escape, one of the officers fired a service pistol, hitting the accused in the leg. Naresh Kumar collapsed on the spot and was immediately taken into custody.

He, along with the injured policemen, was admitted to the Government Hospital in Sankari for treatment.

According to police sources, Naresh Kumar has a criminal history of targeting elderly women in rural areas, primarily for jewellery snatching. Previous incidents have been reported from Sankari and Magudanchavadi.

The incident has raised concerns about the safety of senior citizens in the region and the increasing audacity of repeat offenders. Police have intensified surveillance and patrolling in vulnerable rural zones to prevent further attacks.

New Delhi, May 24: In a major breakthrough, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has brought back fugitive economic offender Angad Singh Chandok from the US to India.

Chandok is wanted in connection with a high-profile bank fraud and money laundering case and had been absconding for a long time.

He was deported by US authorities and landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport early Saturday morning.

CBI officials immediately took him into custody upon arrival. He is expected to be produced before a special CBI court later on Saturday, where the agency is likely to seek his custodial remand for further interrogation.

Chandok’s return marks a significant step in India’s efforts to crack down on economic fugitives who evade justice by fleeing abroad. It also reflects increased cooperation between Indian and international law enforcement agencies, particularly the United States, in tackling financial crimes with cross-border implications.

Chandok, 34, was sentenced to six years in prison by a US court in 2022. The court found him guilty of operating a long-running and complex money laundering network while living in California.

According to the ruling, Chandok created and used multiple shell companies to launder millions of dollars obtained through fraudulent means — initially via an online tech support scam and later through a fake online travel fee scheme.

The court noted that Chandok had a team of at least five individuals working under him and maintained direct communication with high-ranking international members of the criminal syndicate. He was also declared an international fugitive at the time of these offences.

His deportation is expected to strengthen India’s resolve in pursuing economic offenders and bringing them to justice, regardless of their location.

Chennai, May 24: In the wake of a deadly rockslide at a stone quarry in Sivaganga that claimed six lives, the Tamil Nadu Department of Geology and Mining has issued a statewide directive to inspect stone quarries and tighten safety protocols.

According to the order, deputy and assistant directors in each district must conduct safety inspections in at least 10 quarries every month and submit detailed reports to the Commissionerate.

District Collectors and Zonal Joint Directors of mining have also been directed to supervise inspection efforts and ensure strict enforcement of regulations.

The initiative is aimed at addressing growing concerns over safety violations and illegal operations in the state’s stone quarrying sector.

Activists have long alleged rampant irregularities, including the unauthorised use of explosives, which they say are responsible for the increasing number of fatal incidents in recent years.

In one such incident, three people died in an explosion in Virudhunagar, while another worker was killed in Tirupur after an oxygen cylinder exploded during unloading.

A communication from the mining department to all districts underscored the life-threatening risks posed by rockslides and blasts. It cited poor adherence to safety guidelines and regulatory conditions as key contributors to the accidents.

The department emphasised the urgent need for inspections to enforce proper safety. The Sivaganga rockslide is the latest in a string of quarry-related accidents in Tamil Nadu, particularly as the demand for M-sand in construction has increased the scale of quarrying operations.

In August last year, two people died in a blast at an illegal quarry in TN Palayam near Gobichettipalayam. Investigations into the Sivaganga accident are currently underway.

Police officials said they are awaiting drone survey results and a technical analysis of the quarry operator’s blasting methods.

“The revenue and mines department has completed drone surveys across all five quarries in Sivaganga district,” an official confirmed.