Two days after history sheeter Lakshmana was hacked to death in broad daylight, the police shot at and arrested one of the prime accused in the case, Raja, 31, on Saturday. “We shot him on his legs after he assaulted two constables in an attempt to escape,” said a police officer.
Raja was being escorted to Karim Saheb Layout in Rajagopalnagar to recover the murder weapon when the incident took place.
On March 7, Lakshmana was driving his SUV, when a rival gang intercepted his vehicle and hacked him to death. The Mahalakshmi Layout police are yet to arrest around 10 to 11 others. “The murder was carried out by rival gang members. Raja is the prime accused in the case,” the officer added.
A special police team traced Raja to his wife’s town of Gudibande where he was hiding. Raja was taken into custody on Friday and brought back to Bengaluru.
On Saturday, the Mahalakshmi Layout police, headed by police inspector Prashanth, was escorting Raja to Karim Saheb Layout near Doddanna in Peenya 2nd Stage where he had allegedly hidden his blood-stained clothes and the weapon. When they were about to reach the area, he picked up a stone and assaulted two head constables, Chowdegowda and Anantha, who were escorting him. Inspector Prashanth fired a warning shot in the air, but the accused allegedly did not stop attacking the police.
In retaliation the inspector shot at Raja’s legs. The Rajagopalnagar police have registered a case of criminal assault on public servant and a bid to escape from police custody.
