It is 20 years since seven LTTE members, among them those who masterminded the killing of Rajiv Gandhi, were cornered by police at Konanakunte
It’s 20 years since Bangalore woke to the shocking news that seven members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who masterminded Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination had committed suicide at their Konanakunte house.
On August 17, 1991, city police came to know of the hideout and guarded it. Sivarasan and Subha, wanted in connection with the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, were within.
Deputy commissioner of police (east) Kempaiah rushed to the house along with ACP Ashwatharamaiah on August 18 to carry out the secret operation to nab the men. A posse of policemen guarded the house. Sub-inspectors Ramesh Chandra, BK Shivaram, MC Srinivas, Balaji Singh, Eeshwaran and Manjegowda were at the spot. There was nothing apparent about the police cover; the guarding was done from a distance, without drawing too much attention. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi was informed. SIT instructed city police not to proceed till an antidote team arrived from Lucknow.
Sivarasan came to know of the police operation on August 19. That evening, the militants emerged from the house and opened fire on the NSG and police, who retaliated, forcing the LTTE ultra back into the house.
Assistant commissioner of police (city special branch) Balaji Singh, who was then a sub-inspector, and one NSG commando were injured. Policemen stormed into the house on August 20, to find that Sivarasan had shot himself, the others had died of cyanide poisoning.
How the hideout was identified
The LTTE members had been shifting homes frequently to put the police off their trail. After a wild goose chase, Mandya police recovered a note that read: Puttenahalli Anjenappa.
Police found a house belonging to a man called Anjenappa, which had been given to a man called Ranganath. The house was empty, but a driver who used to work for its residents said he had taken the men’s belongings to a Tamil church.
Mridula, Ranganath’s wife, revealed on questioning by police that the LTTE men were staying in Konanakunte. Police then got more precise information from a milk vendor in the area.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}