Bengaluru: History-sheeter hacked to death; BJP MLA named in FIR
What's the story
A 40-year-old history-sheeter was brutally murdered outside his home in Bengaluru on Tuesday night. The victim, identified as Shivakumar alias Biklu Shivu, was attacked by a group of eight to nine assailants armed with iron rods and machetes. The attackers fled the scene in a white Scorpio vehicle and on two-wheelers after committing the crime.
Investigation underway
Victim had a criminal history
Top police officials, including Deputy Commissioner of Police D Devaraj and Joint Commissioner Ramesh Banoth, visited the crime scene. They confirmed that Shivakumar had a criminal history with 11 cases registered against him since 2006. An FIR has been filed at Bharathinagar Police Station against former Karnataka Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Byrathi Basavaraj.
Family allegations
Property dispute
The FIR was lodged by Shivakumar's mother, Vijayalakshmi, who alleged a conspiracy behind her son's murder, naming Basavaraj as the fifth accused. She claimed Basavaraj conspired with others to kill her son over a property dispute. Shivakumar was involved in real estate dealings, and in 2023, he bought land in Kithagnur and obtained a general power of attorney in his name. He built a shed on the land and appointed two women as caretakers.
Caretaker eviction
Threats over property transfer
But Vijayalakshmi alleged that two men, Jagadeesh and Kiran, forcibly evicted the caretakers and threatened Shivakumar over the phone. They demanded he transfer the property to Jagadeesh's name with a threat: "This area belongs to me. Transfer the said property to my name, or I will not spare your life." Vijayalakshmi further alleged Shivakumar continued receiving life threats, forcing him to file complaints against Jagadeesh, Kiran, and Basavaraj.
Final moments
What happened on the day of the incident?
On Tuesday, Shivakumar returned home around 2:00pm, had lunch, and went to rest. At 7:00pm he called the car driver, Lokesh, about an SUV vehicle key. Around 8:00pm Vijayalakshmi saw her son talking with drivers Imran Khan and Lokesh. When she returned after going inside briefly, all three were gone. She heard shouting outside and rushed out to see her son being attacked by unknown people with iron rods and machetes.
Ongoing investigation
What happened during the attack?
Imran was also attacked when he tried to intervene, while Lokesh recorded the incident on his mobile phone. Vijayalakshmi screamed for help, and some people gathered, but Shivakumar was murdered, and the attackers fled. She claimed she could identify them if she saw them again. The victim's body has been shifted to a local hospital for post-mortem examination as investigations continue into this shocking crime.