Cops shoot at, nab two accused in ex-corporator’s murder

BENGALURU: In a swift operation, the West division police nabbed two accused involved in the murder of former corporator of Chalavadipalya BBMP ward Rekha Kadiresh. The police shot at them after they allegedly attacked the police staff in a bid to escape.Peter (46) and Surya (20), who allegedly hacked Rekha Kadiresh to death on Thursday, charged at the policemen with a dagger and were shot at, a police officer said.

Soon after the crime, teams headed by eight police inspectors were formed to arrest the culprits. They questioned around 50 people and four of them, who are relatives of the deceased, were detained.“A close associate of Peter was picked up from the southeastern part of the city on Friday and was questioned. He tipped us off that Peter and Surya were hiding at a vacant plot of land behind Pooja Wedding Hall on Magadi Road in Kamakshipalya,” an officer said.

Police teams rushed to the spot around 1.30 pm. “The accused were consuming alcohol and we surrounded them. But trying to escape, they attacked our staff with daggers, injuring a police sub-inspector and a constable. Inspectors from Upparpet and Cottonpet stations fired a warning shot before shooting them in the leg. Both the accused and the injured police staff were rushed to a hospital,” the officer said.

The police are yet to question the accused as they are under treatment. “Peter was earlier a gunman of Rekha’s husband Kadiresh, who too was murdered. Surya is her relative. We are hunting for the other accused who assisted them in the crime,” the officer said. The preliminary inquiry indicated personal rivalry behind the murder, he added.