Muthoot heist: Robber wanted son to join Army

Hyderabad: The kingpin of the RC Puram Muthoot heist, Laxman, was planning to use his booty for his kids’ education. He wanted his elder son to join the National Defence Academy and his younger son to become a doctor. He had a third son who is in primary class.

Laxman Narayan Mudang was married to a Dharavi girl. His father-in-law was a tailor. He studied till Intermediate and had good command of English. But he could not continue and ended up without a job, and wanted his kids not to suffer like him.

He started committing crimes. His cousin Vijay, who gave shelter to the gang in Holikatta and helped them with his bike and participated in the recce, is suffering from a rare disease which has affected his pancreas. He joined the gang to meet his treatment expenses.

Patil, the driver who drove the gang’s vehicle, had a passion for luxury cars, and was planning to buy one with his share.

Sources said the gang was addicted to charas and used it while preparing for the heist. The gangsters said they could easily get charas in prison, but it was difficult to procure it outside. They underwent rigorous physical training before the heist and practised shooting near Nasik and Mumbai.

Another important member of the gang, Sunder Rajaratnam Kanagalla, who was aiming for a corporator ticket in BMC polls, had a close relationship with four MLAs in Mumbai and was also a close associate of Chota Rajan’s assistant D.K. Rao. He took part in the crime to fund his election campaign.