Bangalore:
A zilla panchayat member was hacked to death by a gang on the outskirts of Bangalore, police said. They added that the panchayat member's gunman managed to kill one of the assailants.
B M L Krishnappa, a former JDS member who had switched over to Congress, was travelling in a car when 20-30 gangsters waylaid and hacked him near Nelamangala on Bangalore-Pune National Highway on Wednesday night, police said.
Nelamangala Police Inspector Prakash said the attackers first opened fire at Krishnappa's car and later hacked him with longs and matchets, killing him on the spot before fleeing from the spot.
The gunman of Krishnappa who was in the car returned fire killing one of the gangsters, the Police Inspector said.
Police suspect that the attack was the handiwork of rowdysheeter Bethanagere Seena's gang and was an act of retaliation for the murder of a person in 2008, allegedly at the behest of Krishnappa, a former history-sheeter.
The murder sparked tension in Nelamangala and surrounding areas where Krishnappa's supporter torched a government bus and pelted stones at passing vehicles, police said, adding that the situation was brought under control after police were deployed.
Prohibitory orders have been promulgated for three days since Wednesday night in Nelamangala Taluk, Superintendent of Police, Bangalore Rural District D Prakash said.
Two special teams have been formed to nab those involved, he said.
JDS state unit president H D Kumaraswamy along with JDS leaders attended the cremation while former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda visited the bereaved family to offer condolences.
Tight security arrangements had been made for the cremation.