Bombing was Jegans style

He lived by the bombs and finally died by the bombs. That in a sense wraps up the blood-splattered career of notorious history-sheeter Jegan, whose head was blown off in a bomb attack by a rival gang on Friday.

Ironically, it was Jegan who started the trend of bomb attacks in Puducherry way back in July 2004. At that point in time, his henchmen chased and murdered Jayakumar, a rival gang member — in the Mudaliarpet police station where he sought refuge — by hurling bombs.

Jayakumar’s father Subbu retaliated by murdering a Jegan gang member. Subbu was later eliminated in another bomb attack.

Jegan was the prime accused in both the murders. He was convicted in the Jayakumar murder case, for which he was serving a life term.

However, the story does not end there. Gang rivalry manifested itself in various forms and murders continued even in the Central Prison, where Jegan as well as his rival gang members were lodged.

Several clashes took place inside the prison. For example, Jegan allegedly attacked Manikandan, a rival member, with stones to kill him.

Injured Manikandan survived after intensive treatment. Following this, there were multiple attempts to eliminate Jegan, even on the Puducherry Court complex. Consequently, the police shifted Jegan to the Karaikal sub-jail and rival groups of Karuna and Manikandan to Yanam sub-jail.

Some time back, the police had again booked Jegan on charges of attempting to murder saw mill owner Narshi Patel by hurling bombs at his house after Patel refused to pay him a hefty sum as protection money. He was brought to Puducherry from Karaikal sub-jail and remanded in Puducherry Central Jail. Police sought his custody for interrogation, but could not obtain it and he was being transported back to Karaikal sub-jail when nemesis caught up with him.

Information about his transport back had reached rival gangs in advance, and they planned his execution and carried it out with clockwork precision.

Outnumbered by the gang, the stunned police could do nothing, despite the attack happening in full public view.