Indian student death: Police confirm suspect died in shootout
New York, July 17: Police in the US have confirmed that the man shot dead in a shootout in Kansas City was the suspect in the killing of Indian student Sharat Koppu, who was from Telangana.
Kansas City police chief Rick Smith told reporters on Monday that they identified the man killed in Sunday's confrontation with police as Marlin Mack, 25, who was seen in the surveillance video from the shooting of Koppu at a restaurant on July 1, according to KCNB television.
Three police officers were injured in two separate shootings involving Mack on Sunday and he was killed in a third one.
KCNB reported that Mack had a criminal history and was released from prison last year. He appeared to be of African descent from the picture released by police.
Police said they received about 40 tips about him, eight of which led to him on Sunday. A $10,000-reward had been announced for information leading to the capture of the suspect in the Indian student's killing.
Koppu, who had come to the US in January and was doing his Masters in computer science at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, was shot dead at a restaurant during what appeared to be a robbery.
According to KCNB, Koppu's cousin Raghu Chowdavaram thanked the police for following up the case.
"The family would like to express their gratitude to the police officers who risked their lives in pursuing this case. We are disheartened to hear that they're injured, and we're praying for a speedy and full recovery," said Chowdavaram.
The three officers were recovering in a hospital
According to police, when two undercover police went to the motel where the suspect was seen, he shot and wounded them before fleeing with another person.
When police tracked him down to a house in the area, he shot another officer there. As many as 50 gun shots were heard during the confrontation, the Star reported.
When the man came out of the house, there was more exchange of gunfire and he was killed, the newspaper reported.
According to reports, Mack was sentenced in 2011 to seven years in prison for robbery and assault but was released in 2015.
Soon after, he was convicted of burglary and sentenced to four years, but released after two years.
The Kansas City where Koppu was killed is in Missouri state. There is also a Kansas City in Kansas state where two Indian engineers from Telangana were attacked at a restaurant in Olathe last year. One of them was killed by a white man while the other was critically injured.
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Eight black-capped capuchin monkeys arrive at Bannerghatta zoo
Bengaluru (PTI): Bannerghatta Biological Park on Monday announced the successful import of eight black-capped capuchin monkeys from a wildlife facility in South Africa under an animal exchange programme.
The four male and four female monkeys (Sapajus apella) were imported from the Induna Primate and Parrot Park in South Africa and arrived at the Kempegowda International Airport at around 9 pm on December 14, BBP said in a statement.
The exchange, carried out under a duly approved animal exchange programme, aims to strengthen conservation initiatives, enhance genetic diversity of the captive population, promote visitor awareness, and support scientific research, the statement said.
According to BBP officials, the import was conducted in strict compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements.
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Prior approvals were obtained from the Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi, along with no-objection certificates from the State Chief Wildlife Warden, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
Import permits were also secured from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the Department of Animal Husbandry, officials said.
"All animals were inspected and quarantined in South Africa as per the prescribed guidelines. In addition, advance no-objection certificates were obtained from the Animal Quarantine Services before importation," the statement said.
Upon arrival, the capuchins were placed in a designated quarantine facility and will undergo post-import health checks before being moved to the zoo premises for public display, officials said.
"This initiative underscores Bannerghatta Biological Park’s continued commitment to global conservation collaboration, scientific animal management, and compliance with national and international wildlife regulations," the statement added.
The exchange programme further strengthens BBP’s role in promoting best practices in ex-situ conservation and wildlife education.
