Kittappa, involved in more than 30 criminal cases including murder, allegedly attacked a sub-inspector with a sickle when a police team went to arrest him at Suddhamalli, 15 km from here, police said.
He and his two accomplices also hurled country bombs at the police personnel, prompting SI Sivramakrishnan to retaliate, following which he was killed, they said.
The SI and two constables were injured in the attack and had been hospitalised, police said, adding, the two accomplices had been arrested.
Range DIG Murugan made an on-the-spot investigation following the incident.