Madhaiyan, who was lodged in a Karnataka jail, was shifted to Coimbatore Central Prison and then to Salem Central Prison 7 years ago. He had been in prison for the last 35 years and was undergoing treatment at GMKMC for various ailments, including diabetes.

As he complained of severe chest pain, the prison authorities admitted him to GMKMC for treatment on May 1. Even while undergoing treatment, his health deteriorated and two days ago, Madhaiyan developed breathlessness and acute chest pain.

Despite continuous treatment, Madhaiyan died at 5.45 am on Wednesday. His family members, who came to receive his body from the hospital, claimed that all their efforts to release Madhaiyan proved futile. “The government should take efforts to release more than ten others languishing in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka prisons in connection with Veerappan’s case,” they said.

Veerappan, who was involved in the abduction of Karnataka matinee idol Rajkumar had faced several cases of elephant poaching and sandalwood smuggling in the forests in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka states. He was shot dead in an encounter by the Special Task Force in October, 2004.