Thief dies after consuming pill in B'luru during police raid

A notorious chain-snatching thief allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison during the police team's raid on his hideout on Thursday, the police said.
The police said that based on a tip-off, Shankar was to visit the temple on Thursday, before changing his hideout in Chintamani to elsewhere and when he saw police teams coming, he consumed a pill and died instantly.

"We suspect he might have consumed cyanide laced pill but it is not confirmed yet as we are awaiting a post-mortem report," a police officer from Hoskote police station told IANS on the condition of anonymity.

According to Hoskote police, the deceased is identified as Shankar, 48, hailing from Madanapalle town of Andhra Pradesh while his accomplice Chandrashekar, 52, resident of Bengaluru, has been arrested by the Bengaluru city police.

Hoskote police said that the duo are notorious chain-snatchers who mainly operated in K.R. Puram and other parts of IT Corridor of the city which includes Whitefield, Sarjapura, Electronic City and others.

"After snatching chain, Shankar often visited a temple situated in Pillagumpe, a small village that is located in Hosakote Tehsil of Bangalore Rural district in Karnataka," the police explained.

Pillagumpe village is situated just 20 kms from KR Puram in Bengaluru which has now transformed into an industrial town.


The police has registered a case and an investigation is underway.-IANS