Jewellery heist accused Murugan dies in custody

The mastermind of the Lalithaa Jewellery heist, Murugan, was a history-sheeter against whom more than 200 theft cases are pending in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka. While he had been included as a suspect in many noted theft cases, he was arrested by the Bengaluru police only after he looted nearly 13kgs of gold jewels from Lalithaa Jewellery in Tiruchy and went into hiding in Bengaluru, last October.

The 'Money - heist' inspired thief was lodged in Bengaluru prison after the looted jewels were confiscated upon his confession. Murugan who supposedly was suffering from prolonged ailments, while at the time of arrest, was being treated in Prison hospital in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, the prison authorities have issued a statement that Murugan had died early in the morning on October 27, while still in the prison hospital.