Five aides of Slum Bharath surrender before city court

BENGALURU: Just over a week after notorious history-sheeter ‘Slum’ Bharath was killed in an encounter with the North Division police, five of his associates surrendered before a court on Friday.The police said Bharath’s associates were involved in 14 cases, including murder, attempt to murder and robberies. They also helped Bharath escape from the city.

Bharath’s associates are Madhu alias ‘Slum’ Madhu (23), Muniraj alias Kariya (28), Satish alias Ture (25), Vinay alias Minda (25) and Ajay alias Gajji (24).

A police officer said all five were involved in murder cases in Kamakshipalya and Rajagopalnagar police station limits. They had been absconding for a couple of years and search warrants had been issued by the court.

“All of them surrendered before the magistrate court and North Division police will take them into police custody for interrogation,” the officer said.

Some other associates of Bharath, who had attacked policemen and escaped with Bharath in two cars a few hours before the encounter, are still at large. A special team is on the look-out for them.

On February 27, Bharath (32) was gunned downed by the city police after he was arrested in Uttar Pradesh and brought to the city. Bharath’s associates attacked the police vehicles transporting him and also fired two rounds at his escort.

Bharath managed to escape. Around 5 pm, the police team cornered Bharath near Hesaragatta when he opened three rounds of fire. A bullet hit a police inspector. Two other policemen escaped with minor injuries when their vehicle was rammed into by the accused’s vehicle.