Police arrest 12 Pune killers

Residents of Chamarajpet woke up to a scary Saturday as sound of gun shots boomed through the locality. The shots were in fact  a result of police opening fire at a gang of rowdies led by Anand alias Kapali Anand. 

Anand and his 11 associates were arrested by the Central Crime Branch in  a swift operation that culminated in the firing after a wild chase. The operation began a little after midnight and ended on a successful note at 4.30 am, when all the criminals were arrested.

On Thursday morning, this very gang had overpowered financier and realtor Narasimha Murthy alias Pune (45) and hacked him to death near Azadnagar Park in Chamrajpet II Main road. 

All the 12 accused were produced before the magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. 

The operation started when the city police and CCB sleuths received information that the accused were moving around in Bangalore South and had plans to flee. Five teams were formed, out of which one team set out behind a Tata Indica car bearing number KA04 C1671 and moving towards Nayandahalli on Mysore Road. Another team of 10 officers headed by inspector Ravi Prakash, meanwhile, was on trail of Kapali Anand and his associates who were moving towards Sunkadakatte bus stand in Kamakshipalya.

It was near Chamarajpet Deer Park, that inspectors Balegowda and Ashokan managed to stop the car. There were two men in the car —Vinod Kumar alias Vinod (23), resident of Chamrajpet and Sridhar (25), resident of Azadnagar.

“The men did not realise that we were policemen as we were in mufti and attacked us with swords and machetes. We had no other option, but fire at them. Four rounds were fired and two bullets hit each of the two in the legs," said Balegowda.

Police seized two machetes and swords from the two men. They were rushed to Victoria Hospital for treatment.  Constable Vijay Kumar was also injured in the clash.
But the other team had lost trail of Kapali. “We got the injured men contact their gang-mates on mobile and came to know of the latter’s whereabouts and put the other team on their trail,” said Balegowda.

“Kapali and his men were in a white Scorpio car number KA52 M174 and were loaded with lethal weapons. Despite Kapali’s attempts, we managed to nab the gang," said Ravi Prakash.

The arrested have been identified as Anand alias Kapali Anand (45), Kumar alias Puttaiah (32), Madhu Lakshmegowda alias Madhu (28), Sethu alias Rajarajan (20), Lokesh (32),  Madesh alias Compound Madesha (29), Jayaram (23), Premkumar alias Prem,  Muddaraj (27), and Srinivas (32).