A suspected robber was shot in the leg by cops on Tuesday after he attacked officers with a broken beer bottle during a spot inspection in connection with a recent robbery at the Kotekaru Agricultural Co-operative Society near Ullal city, on the outskirts of Mangaluru in Karnataka, police said.
The suspect, identified as Kannan Mani, 36, from Mumbai, was arrested in Tamil Nadu on January 20 in relation to a robbery case registered at Ullal Police Station. The incident occurred around 4.20 pm on Tuesday near Alankaru Gudde, KC Road, when the police team was reconstructing the crime scene, according to authorities.
Police said that Mani attempted to escape custody and attacked three officers, including Ullal Police Inspector Balakrishna HN, with a broken beer bottle. The assault injured the officers, prompting a warning shot to be fired by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) Inspector. Despite the warning, the suspect continued to attack, leading the officer to fire at his leg to subdue him.
The injured officers and Mani were immediately taken to Deralakatte Yenepoya Hospital for treatment. Police confirmed that a case has been registered, and further investigation into the incident is underway.
THE ROBBERY
On 17 January, a gang of armed robbers stormed the Kotekar Agricultural Cooperative Bank in Kotekar, Mangaluru, located on KC Road in Dakshina Kannada district, making off with gold ornaments and other valuables worth an estimated Rs 10 to 12 crore.
The group, consisting of five to six men aged between 25 and 35, was armed with pistols, swords, and knives during the daring daylight heist. The masked robbers threatened the bank staff in Hindi before fleeing the scene in a black Fiat car.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara announced on January 21, that three individuals involved in a recent bank robbery in Mangaluru had been arrested. Speaking to the media, Parameshwara confirmed that the police had recovered stolen cash amounting to Rs 4 crore and around 4 kilograms of gold jewellery. The suspects were apprehended near Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, and are reportedly from Tamil Nadu and Kerala.