Reformed underworld don Muthappa Rai passes away

BENGALURU: Former underworld don and real-estate baron Muthappa Rai died at a private hospital here on Wednesday after a battle with Cancer. He was 68.
Rai , who was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 underwent treatment at various hospitals in New Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru.
After multiple rumours over his health conditions, Rai in January held a presser to clarify that he was diagnosed with brain cancer but was living miraculously on will power."I survived even after being hit with five bullets. I am not afraid of death and living entirely on will power," Rai had said while revealing that he had completed all the legal procedures pertaining to his property
He had also announced that he had resigned from Jaya Karantaka organization in which he was the founder president.
In 2018, the one-time don had appeared before officials from the Organised Crime Wing in Bengaluru after a video of his family performing a puja in front of a cache of arms and weapons on the occasion of Ayudha Puja went viral on social media.
In 2015, Filmmaker Ramgopal Varma had met Rai who hailed from Dakshina Kannada district to do a biopic on him but the project failed to take off for unknown reasons. "It was the most amazing meeting that gave him fascinating understanding of the Bangalore underworld," Varma had said after meeting him for about three hours.