A 31-year-old history sheeter, Bharath, who was named in over half-a-dozen criminal cases, was killed in an encounter at Soladevanahalli early Thursday morning.
A native of Tamil Nadu, Bharath, was living with his mother in Laggere. He was on the run after allegedly attacking a police team in KS Layout in January when they went to arrest him. “He fled to Moradabad in U.P. where he was hiding in a friend’s house. We tracked him down and brought him back to the city,” said the police.
On the way back, when the team was in Bengaluru, his associates allegedly tried to stop the police vehicle near SS Circle in Peenya and attacked the police team. “They were following the team in an attempt to free Bharath,” said a senior police officer.
Sub-inspector Venkataramana opened fire in the air, but Bharath managed to escape in a car. Constable Subhash sustained injuries in the melee. Venkataramana alerted the control room and sounded a red alert. Rajgopal Nagar Inspector Dinesh Patil and Nandini Layout Inspector Lohith, who were on their rounds, spotted Bharath and his associates in a car on Hesaraghatta Road.
Bharath opened fire at the police. Patil, who was wearing a bullet-proof jacket, sustained injuries on his hand. In retaliation, Lohith opened two rounds of fire at Bharath. The police seized his weapon.
Bharath, who sustained injuries, was taken to Sapthagiri hospital where he succumbed. Inspector Patil and Constable Subhash are being treated for injuries. As word of the encounter spread, friends and supporters of Bharath gathered outside the hospital at Hessarghatta.
DCP Shashi Kumar (North division), along with senior police officers, identified around 10 of his associates and detained them. “We have recovered lethal weapons from them,” said a police officer.
According to the police Bharath was injured in police firing in Jnanabharathi police station limits in 2016 when he attacked the team in a bid to escape. At the time, he was arrested and remanded in judicial custody. He resumed his criminal activities after coming out on bail.
The police are on the lookout for the men who helped Bharath escape.
According to the police, Bharath operated a gang of around 150 members, and was involved in extortion and land disputes. He was named in criminal cases in and around the city.
Published - February 28, 2020 08:29 am IST
