Date:17/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/17/stories/2006021724440300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Man with criminal antecedents hacked to death

Staff Reporter

Palani had 25 criminal cases against him in various police stations
He was facing a threat to his life from rivals

Security at the hospital tightened

BANGALORE: Gang wars in Bangalore reached a new high on Thursday when armed men barged into a hospital in the early hours and hacked to death a man with criminal antecedents, who was admitted there.

The police said that around 3 a.m. about 25 people, in three vehicles, came to the Hospital for Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine, Arthritis and Accident-Trauma (HOSMAT) on Magarath Road in Ulsoor police station limits.

Some of them barged into a ward on the second floor of the hospital where Palani (40) was undergoing treatment for a fracture of tibia and fibula of his right leg. They attacked him with swords and choppers even as his brother and two attendants watched in horror. Palani died instantaneously.

As Palani's brother and the attendants screamed, doctors and the hospital staff came out of their rooms. The armed men threatened the staff and ran away. Some of Palani's accomplices tried to stop the intruders. The assailants chased and attacked two of them, Pratap (22) and Murugan (23).

Pratap, who suffered head injuries, and Murugan, who was stabbed in the abdomen, were rushed to Bowring Hospital. Later, they were shifted to NIMHANS and a private hospital respectively. The two are said to be out of danger.

The police said that around 3 p.m. on Wednesday a goods autorickshaw hit Palani's motorcycle near Infant Jesus Church in Viveknagar. Palani and his friend Bharath, who was riding pillion, suffered limb fractures and were admitted to HOSMAT at 3.20 p.m.

Palani's rivals who learnt about his admission in the hospital hatched a plan to eliminate him and attacked him the early hours of Thursday, the police said. Palani, against whom there was a history sheet in Viveknagar police station, was facing a threat to his life from his rivals.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Bijay Kumar Singh told The Hindu that the hospital authorities had been asked to explain why they had not informed the police of Palani's admission as it was a medico-legal case.

However, CEO of HOSMAT Kishore Murthy said they had informed the police of the admission and probably there could be a communication gap. Following the incident, the security at the hospital has been tightened.