<p>A suspected chain snatcher allegedly killed himself by consuming cyanide when policemen went to arrest him.</p>.<p>Shankar, 47, a native of B Kothakota in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, was a suspect along with another man in four cases of chain-snatching reported from KR Puram, East Bengaluru, recently. Police tracked them down to Hoskote.</p>.<p>According to the jurisdictional Sulibele police, Shankar and his associate Chandrashekar alias Chandru were spotted at the Anjaneyaswamy temple in Pillagumpe village near Hosakote around 4 pm on Tuesday. When Shankar saw the policemen coming for him, he allegedly gulped cyanide. He was later declared brought dead at a hospital.</p>.<p>Sulibele police have opened a case of mysterious death and are investigating how Shankar got the cyanide.</p>.<p>Police said Shankar and Chandru often travelled to Bengaluru on a two-wheeler with the specific purpose of snatching gold chains from women. They would quickly got back once the job was done.</p>.<p>A preliminary investigation found that the duo snatched eight chains, five in the city and three in Bengaluru Rural.</p>.<p>Shankar was earlier arrested over chain-snatchings reported in Jayanagar, Banashankari, CK Achukattu, Girinagar and other areas. Police believe he had been snatching chains since 2008, punctuated by brief stays in prison.</p>.<p>On July 6, they allegedly snatched the chain of a woman named Rathnamma, 51, in Battarahalli, KR Puram.</p>.<p>Police zeroed in on them and went looking for them in Hoskote. On their way back to the city, police are said to have spotted them.</p>.<p>Chandru told the police that he and Shankar prayed at the temple from the outside so that they didn't get into trouble.</p>
<p>A suspected chain snatcher allegedly killed himself by consuming cyanide when policemen went to arrest him.</p>.<p>Shankar, 47, a native of B Kothakota in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, was a suspect along with another man in four cases of chain-snatching reported from KR Puram, East Bengaluru, recently. Police tracked them down to Hoskote.</p>.<p>According to the jurisdictional Sulibele police, Shankar and his associate Chandrashekar alias Chandru were spotted at the Anjaneyaswamy temple in Pillagumpe village near Hosakote around 4 pm on Tuesday. When Shankar saw the policemen coming for him, he allegedly gulped cyanide. He was later declared brought dead at a hospital.</p>.<p>Sulibele police have opened a case of mysterious death and are investigating how Shankar got the cyanide.</p>.<p>Police said Shankar and Chandru often travelled to Bengaluru on a two-wheeler with the specific purpose of snatching gold chains from women. They would quickly got back once the job was done.</p>.<p>A preliminary investigation found that the duo snatched eight chains, five in the city and three in Bengaluru Rural.</p>.<p>Shankar was earlier arrested over chain-snatchings reported in Jayanagar, Banashankari, CK Achukattu, Girinagar and other areas. Police believe he had been snatching chains since 2008, punctuated by brief stays in prison.</p>.<p>On July 6, they allegedly snatched the chain of a woman named Rathnamma, 51, in Battarahalli, KR Puram.</p>.<p>Police zeroed in on them and went looking for them in Hoskote. On their way back to the city, police are said to have spotted them.</p>.<p>Chandru told the police that he and Shankar prayed at the temple from the outside so that they didn't get into trouble.</p>
