Runaway Krishnappa evaded arrest earlier too

BANGALORE: Krishnappa Chinnappa alias Bar Krishnappa, 55, who was absconding for 42 hours after his Land Rover mowed down four persons and injured seven others on Monday night, is a past master at giving police the slip. Six years ago, he evaded arrest for 15 days after he was named an accused in the dowry harassment and murder of his daughter-in-law.
The case was filed against Krishnappa and elder son Vijayakumar by the latter's parents in-law in 2007 after their daughter hanged herself in her bedroom.
Vijayakumar married Archana Pillappa in December 2006. From the first day of her married life, Archana wasn't allowed to move freely or speak with anyone, her father NM Pillappa told TOI.
"Whenever my wife called her house, either Krishnappa or someone else would answer the phone and then give it to my daughter. She spoke mechanically and we sensed she couldn't speak freely," Pillappa said.
Pillappa and wife Ramamani were shocked when on the morning of June 14, 2007, Krishnappa called around 8am to say Archana had committed suicide.
"We filed a case with Parappana Agrahara police accusing Krishnappa and Vijayakumar of dowry harassment and murder. Both father and son fled the house," Pillappa said.
Five days later, Vijayakumar was found hanging at a relative's house in Hulimavu off Bannerghatta Road. His suicide note said, 'Archana, I shouldn't have done that to you and I am joining you now'.
"Krishnappa didn't even go to his son's funeral and was traced 15 days later in Nimhans," Pillappa said.
The trial is under way in a city civil court and Pillappa is attending a hearing on Saturday.
Deaths in bedroom
There was a similar death a few years ago in the bedroom where Archana was found hanging. According to family sources, Babu K, Krishnappa's son by his first wife, hanged himself in 2003. Later, Babu's mother left Krishnappa and returned to her parents.