John’s body bore knife injuries. Reddy and his supporters allege that the murder was politically motivated, but police said John was murdered by his relatives.
Speaking to Deccan Herald Reddy said: “John was with me till 10.30 pm near Nayandraturbrahalli. Later, he walked down the street to reach his home, when he was attacked by six men. Definitely, there is a political motive behind this.”
Auto John, a Congress worker had joined BJP and only recently shifted his loyalty to his parent party.
The Doddanekundi ward is witnessing a straight fight between Congress and BJP in the BBMP polls. Police from the HAL station where the complaint is lodged, however, said the murder was the result of a drunken brawl and claims of ‘political motive’ were highly misplaced.
They suspect John was hacked to death with a chisel near his house allegedly by his father-in-law, Dankanachari and brother-in-law Dhananjay after a fight broke out between them over John’s second marriage. A profusely bleeding John was rushed to a hospital in K R Puram and later shifted to Bowring Hospital.
However, he died on the way to the hospital, said sources in police.
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