Urwa Double Murder Case: Dandupalya Gang Member Arrested After 29 Years
The arrested accused has been identified as Chikka Hanuma alias Chikka Hanumanthappa alias K Krishnappa alias Krishna (A-6), aged about 55 years, a native of Dandupalya village, Hoskote taluk, Bengaluru district
Mangaluru: Ending a 29-year-long manhunt, the Mangaluru City Police have arrested an absconding associate of the Dandupalya gang in connection with a brutal double murder and dacoity case reported from Urwa of Manglauru in 1997.
The arrested accused has been identified as Chikka Hanuma alias Chikka Hanumanthappa alias K Krishnappa alias Krishna (A-6), aged about 55 years, a native of Dandupalya village, Hoskote taluk, Bengaluru district. He was living under a false identity at Vijayanagar Colony, BK Palli, Madanapalle in Annamayya district of Andhra Pradesh, where he was traced and arrested by Urwa police.
The arrest is in connection to Urwa Police Station Crime No 113/1997, registered under Sections 460, 396 and 400 of the IPC. After being produced before a court, the accused was remanded to judicial custody.
Police said the case dates back to the midnight of October 11, 1997, when members of the notorious Dandupalya gang broke into a house named Anwar Mahal near Urwa Marigudi Cross in Mangaluru taluk. During the robbery, the gang allegedly murdered Lewis D’Mello (80) and Ranjith Vegas (19), and fled with gold ornaments and other valuables.
The accused in the case included Dodd Hanuma alias Hanuma, Venkatesh alias Chandra, Munikrishna alias Krishna, Nallathimma alias Thimma, Krishna alias Dandupalya Krishna alias Nagaraj, Chikka Hanuma, Krishnadu alias Krishna and Venkatesh alias Ramesh.
Following the investigation, the police had filed a chargesheet. Five of the accused were convicted by the trial court, and a death sentence was passed initially. Later, they appealed to HC and based on the directions of the High Court, which set aside the conviction and ordered for fresh disposal, the case was acquitted against them.
However, Chikka Hanuma managed to escape arrest by repeatedly changing his name and identity and avoiding court appearances. In 2010, the JMFC II Court in Mangaluru issued an LPC warrant against him.
Police sources said the accused is suspected to be involved in around 13 murder and robbery cases across Karnataka. Further verification of his criminal antecedents is under way.
The arrest was made by the Urwa Police Station team led by Inspector Shyam Sundar HM, assisted by PSIs Gurappa Kanti and L Manjula, ASI Vinay Kumar, and staff members Lalithalakshmi, Anil, Pramod, Atmanand and Harish.
Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy has commended the team for their efforts and has recommended them for higher rewards to the Karnataka Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP).