Tamil Nadu, AP police roped in to search for serial killer

Home minister declares reward of Rs five lakh for information on Jaishanker

 The City police have roped in their Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh counterparts to trace Jaishanker, the serial killer-rapist who escaped from the Bangalore Central prison at Parappana Agrahara on Sunday.

Thirty-six hours after the psychopath made good his escape from high security prison, Karnataka Home Minister K J George on Monday announced a reward of Rs five lakh to anyone who offers credible information on the fugitive.

B K Singh, Joint Commissioner (Law and Order) East, Bangalore, is heading the special team formed for the search operation. Police forces from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have been mobilised for the task. Kamal Pant, Additional Commissioner (Law and Order), has been supervising the operation.

 A special team of the City police is scheduled to leave for Tamil Nadu soon. Pant revealed that Jaishanker’s acquaintances and accomplices, who can possibly offer him shelter or money, are also being tracked down and questioned. Pant explained that police are scouring key locations in the area, especially small clinics or hospitals which Jaishanker could have visited to obtain medical aid for injuries sustained during his escape.

“All clinics, hospitals in the southeastern part of the City have been alerted about the fugitive. Posters and photographs were provided to all these places,” Pant said. However, the search efforts till now have drawn a blank.

Pant added that it has been more than 36 hours since the  escape, and if Jaishankar was not being treated somewhere, it is highly unlikely that he was still in the City. He said there was a strong possibility of him fleeing to Tamil Nadu.

“Crossing over to Tamil Nadu through Hosur is only a half-hour journey and he could have hopped onto a lorry and crossed the border even before we could come to know of his escape,” Pant explained.

Police are also alert in Davangere, Tumkur and Bijapur where Jaishanker has committed crimes earlier. Several officers who had handled Jaishanker’s old cases were summoned for a special meet in the City, to develop strategies to help with the search.