British made three attempts to capture his territory. Colonel Alexander Heron attacked Nelkattanselval in 1775 but was humiliated by him. The British notes say “though he commanded a small and ill-equipped army, with brilliant strategy he administered a devastating blow to enemy” 
Then in 1760, the traitor Khan Sahib aka Marudhanayagam attacked with a large force only to be defeated and repelled back. Next year things turned in favour of British & he mysteriously disappeared. Today is the birthday of that valiant ruler of Nelkattanseval, Puli Thevar.
^1755 that is.
