Karnataka Lokayukta Vishwanatha Shetty stabbed at his office in Bengaluru

Karnataka Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanatha Shetty was stabbed by a 33-year-old man in his chamber on the second floor of the Lokayukta office in the Multi-storied (MS) Building on Ambedkar Veedhi. The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon.

Justice Shetty, 73, sustained multiple stab injuries in his abdomen and hands when he tried to fend off the sudden assault, the police said. Justice Shetty has been admitted to Mallya Hospital and was immediately taken to the operation theatre for surgeries following internal injuries and for stitches to his hand. He was later shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Justice Shetty is said to be out of danger.

The assailant, identified as Tejraj Sharma, was a disgruntled furniture contractor and a resident of SS Puram in Tumakuru, the police said. Sharma had applied for PWD tenders in Tumakuru, and had accused officials who rejected his tender applications of corruption. He was upset as the Lokayukta dropped all charges he had made against the officials, the police added.

The incident happened around 1.55 pm. Sharma entered the Lokayukta office at 12.45 pm, went through the defunct door frame metal detector after which he made entries in the register at the entrance reception desk. He entered his name, contact details and mentioned that he wanted to meet the additional registrar enquiries, where one of his complaints' final scrutiny was posted  onWednesday.

Sources said that soon after the final orders of that case, he went to meet the Lokayukta around 1.45 pm. He had given a chit to the Lokayukta's door assistant Palani, who let him into his chamber.

Sharma went in, pulled out a knife and stabbed Justice Shetty on his torso several times. Justice Shetty started screaming and tried to protect himself with his hands, but Sharma stabbed him on his hands too. Hearing Justice Shetty's screams, Palani rushed inside. Sharma tried to assault Palani too, but he escaped unhurt. Around 10 members of the Lokayukta staff and the police rushed into the chamber and overpowered Sharma. They then rushed Justice Shetty, who was lying unconscious, to Mallya Hospital. The staff then informed the police who took Sharma into custody. Sharma has been booked for attempt to murder and the police are investigating further.