The Cubbon Park police fired at a notorious sandalwood thief when he jumped from the police vehicle he was being escorted in to the station and attacked an officer in a bid to escape in Cubbon park early on Tuesday.
The accused Mujahidulla, a resident of Saraipalya, and his brother Imdad, were allegedly involved in 19 sandalwood theft cases in and around the city since 2015. The accused had hired a group of men from Tamil Nadu and trained them in chopping trees using electric saws and transporting them. The accused would move around the city to identify sandalwood trees and steal them with gang members, the police said.
The accused had recently cut down sandalwood trees in an apartment complex near the office of the Commissioner of Police, the residence of the Chief Justice, Prasara Bharati premises and seven Ministers’ quarters.
The Cubbon Park police, who are investigating the case, managed to track down Lakshmana, 32, Raghanathan, 35, and Ramaswamy, 40, from Salem, who were employed by Mujahid. Based on information given by them, they picked up Mujahid and Imdad from a house in Chickaballapur where they had taken shelter.
While being brought to the station, Mujahid jumped from the police vehicle in Cubbon Park and began to flee around 1.30 a.m., the police said.
Sub-Inspector Raheem chased Mujahid, but was attacked. Inspector Ayyanna Reddy, who followed Mujahid, warned him and fired in the air before shooting at his right leg to neutralise him.
The accused was later shifted to Bowring Hospital for treatment. The police have taken up the case for further investigation.
Muhajid is said to have been involved in over 50 sandalwood theft cases in the last few years and the police are investigating further, D. Devraj, DCP Central said.