Chennai, Sep 21 (IANS): A history-sheeter who has been absconding after jumping the bail in a murder case, was arrested after a brief encounter with police in Coimbatore on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Alwin, hailing from Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu, was facing several criminal cases, including three murders.

Acting on a tip-off that Alwin was hiding in Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (Codissia) stadium premises, a police team led by SHO Karthikeyan reached the spot and asked Alwin to surrender.

When asked to surrender, Alwin stabbed police constable Rajkumar multiple times after which Karthikeyan fired in both his knees and arrested him.

Rajkumar, who suffered grievous injuries, was rushed to a private hospital in Coimbatore, while Alwin was receiving treatment at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.

City Police Commissioner Balakrishna told media persons that Alwin would be interrogated after treatment.

Alwin was arrested in February in a case related to the murder of another gangster Sathya Pandi.

Alwin secured conditional bail but later jumped it after which the court issued an arrest warrant against him.

Coimbatore City Police Commissioner issued orders to arrest him for which a team of cops from Race Course Police Station was formed.

The state has seen a surge in crime. Recently, BSP state president and lawyer at Madras High Court K. Armstrong was murdered.

Tamil Nadu police have drawn flak over the encounter killing of K. Thiruvengadam, one of the main accused in the Armstrong murder case.

Thiruvengadam was shot dead on Madhavaram lake premises when he was brought to identify the weapons used to murder Armstrong.

Chennai police said that they had to shoot Thiruvengadam dead as he tried to attack the cops.

Recently, another history sheeter Kakkathope Balaji was also "killed" by police near Vyasarpadi in Chengalpattu district.