Criminal wanted for 10 yrs attacks constable, nabbed

BENGALURU: A constable was attacked with a machete when he went to arrest a notorious criminal on Saturday night. Police had been on the lookout for the accused for the past 10 years. The accused, Palani, has allegedly committed multiple crimes including murder and kidnapping across the city. He was nabbed by Konankunte police here.

Palani (32) was nabbed around 11.45pm on Saturday. According to police, Palani and three of his friends were at Kothnoor Dinne, sitting in an under-construction building, when Venkatesh Prasad, a resident of a nearby house, came and asked them to vacate the premises. The four men snatched Prasad’s gold chain, entered his house and assaulted his physically challenged father.

Following the incident, Prasad lodged a complaint with Konankunte police on the same night. He said that one of the offender’s name was Palani, after which the police realised that this was the same Palani who was wanted in several cases across the city. They tracked him down at a government school where he was hiding.

Palani first struck the police jeep with his matchete, after which Inspector Dharmendra fired a warning shot in the air. Palani then attacked police constable Kiran Kumar’s hand with a matchete, police said. In retaliation, the Inspector Dharmendra shot Palani’s left leg, after which he was nabbed. Later, he was taken to Victoria Hospital for treatment. Constable Kumar sustained minor injuries.

Three accomplices of Palani — Karawada, Dileep and Hajaam, who are also accused of the same crimes as that of Palani, are still absconding. Police said that cases registered against Palani include a charges of murder within Koramangala police station limits, kidnapping a student at Bannerghatta, an attempt to murder at Hulimavu and Tilak Nagar and a robbery at JP Nagar.

Palani initially resided at Jayanagar 3rd block, but after police tried to nab him, he moved to Kallakere near Bannerghatta about one-and-a-half years ago, police sources said. According to police, Palani is unmarried and his parents are daily-wage labourers. Recently, he was working in the real estate sector.