Bangalore:
In a brazen broad daylight attack, a notorious rowdy, with 36 warrants against him, shot dead a realtor in what police suspect to be a revenge killing.
Devaraj, brother of the deceased, received a phone call saying they will eliminate Nanjundappa, and the former's children for revenge. The caller also threatened to kill Devaraj, since Nanjundappa was a police informer.
Barely 20 minutes later, he received a call from a relative informing him that Nanjundappa was dead.
After visiting a friend around 4.30 pm, Nanjundappa was getting into his car when the armed attackers opened fire from close range and fleed. He sustained bullet injuries to the chest and collapsed bleeding profusely. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
The incident comes just two days after Dhanaraj, a suspected police informant and neighbour of the deceased, was also attacked allegedly for similar reasons on Friday.
Nanjundappa, a resident of Kodipalya near Kengeri was affiliated with the Congress party.
It is suspected that Akram, who allegedly opened fire on Dhanaraj, also carried out the attack on Nanjundappa suspecting that he was divulging information about the former's activities.
Police Commissioner, Shankar Bidari visited the spot and said that both, the deceased and Dhanaraj, were informing the police about Akram's illegal activities, which could be the reason for his elimination.
"In January 2010, Akram's brother Irfan alias Nihaal was arrested based on information from Nanjundappa and Dhanaraj. To avenge this, there are possibilities that Akram and his associates have killed him," Bidari said, adding that there are over 36 arrest warrants against the accused.
He added that they have been informed that Akram was hiding in Shimoga after Friday's incident and the person who supplied the pistol had been detained.
"The police will give a fitting reply to the accused for his acts in 36 hours," the commissioner assured.
The police are establishing the identity of the caller who spoke to the deceased's brother before the murder. Two special teams have been formed to arrest the miscreants and Chandra Layout police have registered a case in this connection.