Chennai: An alleged chain snatcher arrested a day earlier was shot dead in a police 'encounter' near the Taramani railway station area in Chennai early on Wednesday morning while trying to escape, officials said.
28-year-old Jafar Gulam Hussain, a native of Uttar Pradesh, was arrested on Tuesday along with his accomplice Suraj at Chennai Airport while attempting to board a flight to Hyderabad. According to police, the duo had allegedly been involved in multiple chain-snatching incidents across the city.
The alleged encounter took place this morning (March 26) when police took Jafar to the Taramani area to recover stolen jewellery. During the operation, he allegedly attacked a police officer and tried to flee. In response, police opened fire, killing him on the spot.
In a press briefing, Chennai Police Commissioner A Arun said Jafar, during interrogation, admitted to stashing stolen jewellery near Taramani railway station.
"A special team, led by Thiruvanmiyur Inspector Bukhari, accompanied Jafar to the location. There, he retrieved a hidden country-made pistol and attempted to open fire on the officers. In self-defense, the police retaliated, fatally shooting him. Jafar was rushed to a nearby private hospital but was declared dead on arrival," the Commissioner said.
Jafar's body was later sent to Royapettah Government Hospital for a post-mortem. Police recovered the firearm and claimed they had confirmed Jafar’s involvement in a 2021 Mumbai robbery through photographic evidence.
The Police Commissioner said that Jafar was part of a gang of three involved in a series of chain snatching incidents across the city. "The gang, which operated with a high level of preparation, targeted elderly victims in key areas like Thiruvanmiyur, Adyar, Guindy, Saidapet, and Velachery. Six such incidents occurred on March 25 alone, resulting in the theft of 26.5 sovereigns of gold jewelry," he said.
He said that Suraj and Jafar were apprehended at Chennai airport within hours of the crimes on Tuesday. Their third accomplice, who attempted to flee by train, was also captured, the officer said.
Commissioner Arun explained that the gang’s setup was elaborate: two members arrived by flight while the third, who was already in Chennai, arranged a two-wheeler registered in Bidar, Karnataka, presumably transported by road or freight train.
"The breakthrough came when investigators identified the suspects through their shoes, unchanged despite a wardrobe switch between arrival and the robberies. Airport police assisted in intercepting Suraj and Jafar as they tried to board a Hyderabad-bound flight," he said.
The police probe uncovered that the gang belonged to the notorious ‘Irani gang’, known for distracting victims before robbing them, he said. "Maharashtra police confirmed the trio had over 50 cases against them in Mumbai, where they operated under a gang based in the Ambiveli region. Jafar was identified as a key figure in this network," the officer said.
Fourth Encounter-related Death In 7 Months
Wednesday's incident marks the fourth encounter-related death in the city since Arun assumed charge as the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner in July 2024, following the murder of Tamil Nadu BSP State President K. Armstrong on July 5, 2024.
The key accused in Armstrong’s murder, Thiruvengadam, was shot dead when police took him to Madhavaram Lake to gather evidence. According to officials, he attempted to attack the officers after his handcuffs were removed, forcing them to retaliate.
In another encounter in September 2024, Kakkathope Balaji, a known history-sheeter with over 60 cases against him, was shot dead by a police team in Vyasarpadi. In the same month, in another high-profile case, Chennai Police gunned down ‘Seizing’ Raja, an underworld don who had been arrested in Andhra Pradesh and brought back to the city.
He, too, allegedly tried to assault officers during an evidence-gathering operation. These successive encounter killings have drawn the attention of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), which has summoned Commissioner A. Arun for an explanation. The Commissioner had previously stated during a media briefing on July 7 last year that the police would “deal with rowdies in the language they understand".
