Miscreants open fire at property dealer in KR Puram

Assailants opened fire on a real estate businessman at his office in AK Colony in KR Puram, leaving him injured. They even attacked him with a machete in a bid to kill him.

The victim has been identified as Babu alias Auto Babu, a resident of Chandapura in Bengaluru Rural. A business dispute is said to be the reason for the attack.

According to preliminary investigation, around 9.15 pm on Saturday, Babu and a friend were at the office, located close to a dargah.

The suspects, identified as Sohail and Mirza, along with a few of their associates barged into the office. Mirza opened fire. While one bullet misfired, another hit Babu's hand. Sohail attacked Babu with the machete on his back and neck as he was trying to run out.

Babu's friend who managed to escape raised an alarm, alerting locals. In fear of getting caught, the attackers fled.

Babu was rushed to a nearby private hospital. A senior officer said the bullet pierced through Babu's hand muscle, but the injury is not life-threatening.

Old animosity

Sohail used to sell chaat on a pushcart in front of a residential building adjacent to Babu's office. The business used to go on till late at night. His customers' vehicles used to block the path to the office and this angered Babu.

Babu tried to get Sohail vacated from the spot and they even had a fight over this four months ago.

The KR Puram police had let them off with a warning, but Sohail decided to kill Babu.

"Whatever the reason behind the animosity, the miscreants have taken the law into their hands. They also managed to procure a country-made pistol. It is a serious case. A case of attempt to murder has been registered against Sohail and Mirza and efforts are on to arrest them at the earliest," an investigating officer said.