Notorious history-sheeter Seezing Raja, wanted in the murder of Tamil Nadu BSP president K. Armstrong, was killed in a police encounter. History-sheeter ‘Seezing’ Raja, involved in more than 30 criminal cases, was killed in a police encounter on Chennai’s East Coast Road on Monday morning. Police said Raja was arrested from a hideout in Andhra Pradesh the previous day, however, he tried to escape and fired at the police. He died in police retaliation.
Raja was on the police radar for a long time. He has several cases of murder, attempt to murder and extortion registered against him in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Police have also investigated him in connection with the murder of BSP’s Tamil Nadu president K Armstrong in July, but clarified on Monday that they have no evidence linking him to the case. N Raja, who started out as a vehicle seizure agent, also earned the nickname ‘Seizing Raja’. He became a prominent figure in Chennai’s underworld and one of the most wanted men in the region.
police had arrested
Raja has been under intense search in recent weeks. Posters with photographs of his face and criminal record were pasted in several areas around Chennai. A senior official said that 10 warrants are pending against him and he has skipped court appearance several times. On Sunday evening, a special task force arrested Raja between the towns of Kadapa and Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. He was then brought to Chennai for questioning.
Killed while trying to escape from police custody
The next morning, the police tracked him down to a quiet residential area called Akkarai, where a cache of weapons allegedly used in violent crimes was recovered. The police claimed that at the recovery site, Raja tried to escape, pulled out a country-made revolver and opened fire on the officers. A senior officer said he opened fire and the police had no option but to retaliate.
Police said that after being shot, Raja was taken to Royapettah Government Hospital, where he was declared dead. In the last two months, police have conducted a campaign and detained more than 150 persons under the Goonda Act and arrested about 375 miscreants. Police have classified gangsters into different categories based on the severity of the crime, in which Raja and Balaji were placed in the “A-plus category”.