Retired Army Lt. Col. arrested in Dilshan killing case

Chennai, July 10 (ANI): The CB-CID branch of Tamil Nadu Police, which was probing the killing of 13-year-old Dilshan at the Island Grounds in Chennai announced the arrest of retired Lt. Col. Kandaswamy Ramraj on Sunday.

CB-CID Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) R. Sekar told mediapersons here that the retired army official had confessed to his crime, and added that weapon used in the killing had also been recovered.

According to reports, a US Springfield manufactured rifle was used in Dilshan's killing.

Sekar thanked his team of officers and the Tamil Nadu Police for assisting the CB-CID in the probe.

Lt. Col. (retired) Ramraj is 58-years-old and retired from the Army on April 30 this year.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had on July 6 said that someone from within the army conclave had shot at the boy and killed him.

"It is quite clear that someone from within the army conclave shot that boy and killed him. Our Chief Secretary has written to the General Officer Commanding requesting that the person responsible for this unpardonable act should be handed over to our to be dealt with according to the law," she had told mediapersons here.

Army Chief General V. K. Singh had said it was wrong to blame the army for the killing of 13-year-old Dilshan.

"It is wrong to say that the army is involved. There is an individual under suspicion. We are concerned. We deeply regret the death of the boy and will cooperate fully in this investigation," he had said then.

Dilshan died of bullet injuries last Sunday after being allegedly shot by an army soldier for trespassing into an army area at the Island Grounds in Chennai.

He was rushed to a nearby government hospital, but did not survive. Dilshan's family alleged that he had been shot in the head, when he went to the area to pick some mangoes.

The incident sparked off tension in the area with locals strongly protesting against the firing. People and police engaged in a scuffle in which a policeman sustained injuries. Police used canes to disperse the crowd.

The post-mortem report and forensic experts believed Dilshan was shot from a range of between 15 to 20 feet. (ANI)