Chennai, March 19, 2025
The Tirunelveli police on Wednesday arrested the prime suspect, Thowfeeque alias Krishnamoorthy, in connection with the murder of retired police sub-inspector Zakir Hussain Bijli.
The arrest followed a shootout in which the accused was shot in the leg after attacking a police officer with a sickle.
Zakir Hussain Bijli was murdered in Tirunelveli on Tuesday, March 18. In February, he had posted a video on social media expressing fears for his life, naming police officers Gopalakrishnan and Senthil Kumar, and accusing them of abetting those conspiring to kill him.
He alleged that they had failed to take action against individuals involved in a land dispute that put his life at risk.
Following his murder, there was widespread public outrage, with the issue being raised in the Tamil Nadu State Assembly.
In response, Inspector Gopalakrishnan of Tirunelveli Town was suspended from service. Disciplinary action has also been initiated against then Assistant Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli Town, Senthil Kumar, who is currently serving as Assistant Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) in Coimbatore City.
Acting on a tip-off, a special police team tracked Thowfeeque to a hillock near Reddiyarpatti on the outskirts of Palayamkottai.
As officers attempted to apprehend him, Thowfeeque allegedly attacked head constable Anand with a sickle, injuring him on the left shoulder.
In response, the police shot him in the left leg to prevent further violence and secure his arrest.
Both the injured accused and the head constable were rushed to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, where they are reported to be in stable condition.
Zakir’s family received his body on Wednesday after Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli City, Santosh Hadimani, assured them that action would be taken against the police officers named in his complaint.
His son, Z. Rahman, expressed frustration over the lack of police action before the murder, stating:
“The police ignored my father’s complaint, forcing him to post a video on social media to alert the world about the threats he was facing. Now, the worst has happened. We demand a fair investigation by the CB-CID because we have lost faith in the Tirunelveli Town Police.”
AIADMK Tirunelveli district president Thatchai N. Ganesa Raja also criticized the police, claiming that their negligence directly contributed to Zakir’s murder.
He highlighted a controversial aspect of the case, pointing out that Thowfeeque had converted to Islam nine years ago, yet the police had registered a case against Zakir under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“As per legal provisions, a person who has converted to Islam cannot be classified as a Scheduled Caste. Registering a case against Zakir under this Act was a blunder. Meanwhile, the police failed to act against those threatening his life. This murder exposes the failure of the police system,” he alleged.
With the prime suspect now in custody, the focus is on ensuring a fair and transparent investigation into both the murder and the alleged police misconduct that preceded it.
