Thanjavur man shot dead by cops in Australia

MELBOURNE: A 32-year-old man from Thanjavur was shot dead by the Australian police on Tuesday after he allegedly stabbed a cleaner at a railway station in Sydney and threatened law enforcement officers, media reports said.

The Consulate General of India in Sydney identified the man as Mohamed Rahmathullah Syed Ahmed, while sources here told DT Next that he is from Adirampattinam in Thanjavur. He allegedly attacked a 28-year-old cleaner at the Auburn train station in Sydney on Tuesday before arriving at Auburn police station, Sydney Morning Herald newspaper quoted police officials as saying.

Ahmed then allegedly tried to attack two officers who were leaving the station, prompting one of them to fire three shots, two of which hit Ahmed in the chest. Though he was rushed to a local hospital, he was pronounced dead, the report said.

At a press conference on Tuesday, New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said the officers had just seconds to respond and were left with no choice but to shoot Ahmed. Smith said the counter-terrorism unit would be brought in to help in the investigation, the report added.

The police are investigating whether mental health played a part in Ahmed stabbing the cleaner and threatening the police officers, the report said.

The police said the cleaner who was admitted to local hospital is in a stable condition. Reports in other Australian media said Ahmed was an international student in Australia, and was continuing to live there on a bridging visa. “The incident is extremely disturbing and unfortunate. We have formally taken up the matter with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New South Wales Office as well as state police authorities,” the Consulate said.