School politics behind attack on KAMS general secretary: Police

The physical attack on the general secretary of a private schools’ association last month was masterminded by a rival with a criminal record. It was planned over six months in a house located just 30 feet away, police say.

Police have arrested five suspects and are searching for six more, including the mastermind.

On July 29, a gang armed with machetes and daggers attacked D Shashi Kumar as he got off his car near his home in Muthyala Nagar, North Bengaluru. Kumar showed great presence of mind by quickly opening his licensed pistol and brandishing it to the attackers, scaring them away.

He also fired in the air and chased the attackers but they managed to flee. Kumar sustained injuries on the left hand and the abdomen.

Kumar is the general secretary of the Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS) and has been vocal about the rights of private educational institutions in Bengaluru and elsewhere in the state.

The attack was plotted by an office-bearer of a school parents’ association who was once arrested for kidnapping the owner of a private school in Vijayanagar for extortion. He aimed to take Kumar’s place in the association and extort money from private schools, Guruprasad A, the inspector of the jurisdictional Jalahalli police station, said without disclosing his name.

To this end, he approached one Dilip, a murder accused whom he had befriended in prison. Dilip had been released from jail only on July 6.

Dilip and the mastermind worked the attack. Dilip roped in his associates and put them up in a rented house located just 30 feet from Kumar’s residence. The attack was planned over six months, and the gang closely followed Kumar’s movements.

Police apprehended Dilip and four other suspects - Abhishek, Karthik alias Patela, Bharath and Pavan, all residents of East Bengaluru. They also raided the rented house and seized a pistol, three bullets, a long and a machete from there. The arrests helped them recover two more longs, another dagger, a bottle of pepper spray, two motorcycles and mobile phones.

Abhishek was arrested along with Dilip for attempted murder in Pulakeshinagar and was out on bail. Bharath was arrested by Banaswadi police last year for murder. Pavan was arrested by Ramamurthy Nagar police for attempted murder.

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