Notorious gangster Rocket Raja, who is an accused in several murder and extortion cases, has been caught by the city police along with his 4 accomplices on Sunday.

The history-sheeters include Nandagopal (43), N Sundar (31) and his brother N Prakash (25) - both from Tiruneveli, and K Raj Sundar (23) of Palayamkottai, according to a TOI report.

The four along with Raja were arrested at gun-point by the police from a star hotel in Teynampet, according to a report in The Hindu. The police also seized a 3.5mm pistol with 5 bullets from the gang.

Deputy Commissioner of police S Aravindan on Sunday night received a tip-off that a few criminals with weapons had checked in to the hotel.

On the same night, a special team of police reportedly reached the 8th floor of the hotel, where they were staying, and knocked on the door.

On receiving no response, the police reportedly broke the door open and arrested the criminals, who surrendered after providing resistance initially.

Based on preliminary probe, police sources said that the gang was planning to kill Karthik Sethupathi of the Ramanathapuram royal family, over a land dispute, according to a Deccan Chronicle report.

Three aides of Raja face charges of abducting Karthik earlier and assaulting him in Tiruneveli. They had also threatened his wife and kids and made away with crores worth of antiques from Ramnad estate, according to a TOI report.

The men who were arrested were taken to the Virugambakkam police station with heavy security.

Within a short time, several protestors belonging to Raja's 'Nadar Makkal Sakthi' community demanded his release stating that he was falsely accused in many cases, according to the report.

The arrested were produced in the Saidapet court in the evening and were remanded to 14 days in Puzhal prison, the report stated.

Criminal history

Raja, who faces several criminal charges against him, is one of the nine accused in the murder of Senthil Kumar. The gang of nine reportedly hurled country bombs, scaled Senthil Kumars compound wall and murdered him, according to The Hindu.

Raja was also reportedly involved in the murder of Thevar leader, Katta Durai, in 2001.

He has reportedly been alleging that the police were dumping false cases on him and in June 2017, he had even released a Whatsapp video saying that the Tiruneveli police were planning to kill him in an encounter after foisting false cases, according to a Deccan Chronicle report.