Slain forest brigand Veerappan’s elder brother Mathaiyan, aged 75, who was undergoing life imprisonment at Salem Central Prison, passed away due to cardiac arrest. He was admitted to a government hospital after he developed breathlessness and age-related illness a few weeks ago.

Mathaiyan, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in November, 1997 for murdering a forest official in Sathyamangalam 25 years ago. He was lodged in the Central Prison in Salem.

Veerappan, who faced a number murder and sandalwood smuggling cases, was active for nearly 30 years in the forests of Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala before being shot dead in an encounter by the Special Task Force in October 2004.