Jaipur, Dec 13 (IANS): An investigation into a gold heist in Chennai claimed the life of a Tamil Nadu Police Inspector who was shot dead on Wednesday by an alleged burglar in Rajasthan who then escaped.

Police sources said Periyapandi, 48, was shot by one of the alleged robbers, Nathuram, after snatching the officer's revolver at Jaitaran in Pali district.

Periyapandi was part of a special team of Chennai police set up to solve the robbery in the Tamil Nadu capital last month.

The criminals had escaped with 3.5 kg of gold after drilling a hole in a jewellery shop's ceiling in Kolathur area. The Chennai police team was in Rajasthan for further investigation.

On a tip off, a team of seven police personnel went to Jaitaran and caught Nathuram on Wednesday. As he was being led away, he snatched Periyapandi's revolver and opened fire, killing the Inspector on the spot. Nathuram then escaped.

Some others were injured in the firing and were rushed to a hospital.

Additional Superintendent of Police Jyotiswaroop Sharma of Rajasthan Police told IANS that the Chennai police acted unilaterally in the operation.

But he said the Rajasthan Police were extending all cooperation to their colleagues from Tamil Nadu. The Inspector's body had been sent for postmortem to Jodhpur after which it would be flown to Chennai, he added.