Alleged supari killer Bhagappa Harijan, wanted by the district police in a number of cases from the last 15 years was nabbed by a special police squad at Pune in Maharashtra on Thursday night.
Harijan had remained at large giving a slip to the police by taking advantage of the porous borders. The police have recovered from him 9 mm carbine, .303 rifle and 20 live cartridges. They have launched a search at his home and hideouts for some more arms and ammunition.
Hailing from Byadagihal village in Sindagi taluk of Bijapur district, Bhagappa was wanted in about seven supari killings. On a tip off, a special police squad of the district rushed to Pune and nabbed him at market. In the past, he had managed to escape by firing at the police which had gone to arrest Chandappa Harijan in Solapur a few years ago.
“There was a possibility of Bhagappa resorting to counter attack and the police squad has been duly warned in this regard while carrying out action against him”, additional SP M N Nagaraj said here on Friday.
While Bhagappa was moving alone in Pune market, a specially trained commando caught him from behind and immediately others zeroed on him. He was wanted in the killing of four persons at Sharasgi village in Afzalpur talkuk a few years ago. He is also said to have been involved in the killing of Chanadappa Harijan’s brother-in-law Mutturaj at Bijapur recently.
The special police squad which arrested Bhagappa consisted of inspectors Sudhir Hegde, V.N.Patil, Nandakumar, H.K.Pathan, commando Shivappa, Durganna, Gouse, Dastagiri, Shivaputra, Annarao, Manohar, Shashikant, and Mahalinga Nayak.