Rowdy Seena shot dead in encounter

[1]

Rowdy Srinivas alias Bethanagere Seena (35), who had led a gang of nearly 40 small-time rowdies to eliminate JD(S) leader Krishnappa alias BEML Krishnappa in a dramatic shootout on the National Highway-4 over a month ago, was shot dead by police in an encounter early on Friday.

Seena (35), a resident of Bethanagere near Nelamangala and who controlled the real estate business in Nelamangala and surrounding areas, was killed in New Syndicate Bank Colony in Harohalli in Tavarekere police limits.

“Seena was tracked down to a rented house on 4th Cross, Vinayaka Nagar on Andhrahalli Main Road. The police team asked him to surrender, but he started to run while shooting two rounds at the police from his gun. The police team, acting in self-defence, returned fire. Two of his associates, however, escaped”, said IGP (Central Range) Amar Kumar Pandey.

“After the shootout, police found that Seena was still alive and rushed him to a hospital in Harohalli and then to another hospital in Tavarekere. There were no doctors in both hospitals and Seena had to be shifted to the Magadi Government Hospital, where he was declared brought dead,” he said.

“Two inspectors and two SIs sustained injuries after they were attacked by Seena and his associates. The house owner, where Seena had taken shelter, is being searched,” he said.

Seena’s autopsy was conducted at Rajarajeshwari Nagar Medical College and Hospital. Hospital sources said the rowdy sustained five bullet wounds – two in the chest, two in the abdomen and one in the back.

Seena had survived three attempts on his life at different jails. In 2010, he survived an attack in the Ramanagaram jail. In March 2011, his arch rival and cousin Bethanagere Shankara’s associate Tibet alias Balaji Rao had smuggled in a country-made revolver and opened six rounds at Seena in the Mysore jail, but he survived. Shankara also managed to ‘book’ a police inspector and tried to get Seena killed while he was lodged in Gulbarga jail by smuggling a revolver into the prison in June 2011, but he survived this attempt too. Seena’s luck finally ran out on Friday.

After the death of JD(S) leader Krishnappa, who was his mentor, Bethanagere Shankara, lodged in Dharwad jail, vowed revenge. Seena was wanted in over 25 cases including murder, dacoity, extortion, kidnap and others.

Seena had managed to escape from the police by a whisker after Krishnappa’s murder. Police had raided a hotel in K.R. Pet on information that Seena and his associates were staying there, but he managed to flee in the nick of time. On Friday, not wanting to take chances, police formed different teams and were patrolling the Vinayaka Nagar area since 12.30 am in different vehicles.

Around 5.30 am, he was shot dead. It is said that the house where Seena stayed, was arranged for him by his associate Satish who knew house owner Manjunath. Satish had not revealed the identity of Seena to Manjunath and had introduced him as a scrap dealer. It is said that he was staying in the house over the last fortnight and was going out in the mornings in a goods auto and would return at night.