A 45-year-old mechanic was allegedly beaten to death in front of his young children after he refused to pay an extortion demand in Bengaluru's Wilson Garden on Sunday night, officials said.
The victim, Rasheed Pasha, was attacked near Bada Makan Road around 9 pm. According to police, three men assaulted him with a bat and bamboo sticks, resulting in fatal injuries.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Pasha worked as a jeep mechanic and had recently begun constructing a shop in the area. Earlier on Sunday, he had installed moulding work for the shop.
The accused allegedly noticed the construction and demanded Rs 50,000 as "mamool" (protection money). Pasha reportedly refused to pay, which led to a heated argument.
Police said the confrontation began in the morning. The group later returned at night and again demanded the money. When Pasha refused, they allegedly attacked him with a bat and bamboo sticks before fleeing the spot.
The brutal assault took place in front of Pasha's two children who were with him at the time. Locals rushed the severely injured man to a hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. His body has been shifted to Victoria Hospital for post-mortem.
Police have registered a murder case and launched a search for the accused.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) Akshay Machindra visited the scene and confirmed that a medico-legal case report had been received from the hospital.
