Mysore Nov 29: Forest brigand Veerappans close associate Ponnusamy died of heart attack at K R Hospital prison ward here today.

Police said they had first arrested Ponnusamy, now 74, in 1992 for his alleged involvement in a bloody attack on Ramapura police station, about 120 km from here, in which five policemen were killed. The brigand and his associates had triggered blasts and looted the armoury in the police station.

Booked under the TADA, Ponnusamy was accused number 142 in Veerappan related cases. However, he was granted bail but police again arrested him in November last year. He had served as an undertrail ever since and was lodged in the Chamarajanagara jail. He was admitted to a hospital in that town last night and was later shifted to the city hospital, but died this morning.

Student dies accidentally

An 18 year-old engineering student was killed on the spot when he accidentally fell off the fourth floor of his college hostel in the city today.

DCP (Southeast) B N S Reddy said that the student, a native of Bihar, accidentally fell off from the parapet wall while he was talking on his mobile phone. The incident occurred at New Horizon College hostel here, he said.

The body was sent for the post mortem.

Our Correspondent