JDS youth leader and associate murdered

The deceased were identified as Devaraju (40) and his driver Manjunath (38) and police said personal enmity could be the motive behind the murders.

Police said Devaraju had parked his vehicle on the roadside and gone to settle a dispute along with his driver when they were attacked with lethal weapons by the gang that later crushed their heads with boulders. Devaraju was the main accused in the murder of Chikkadevaraju of the same village, 10 years ago and had been arrested and later released on bail, police said. Subsequently, fearing for his life, he had relocated to Bangalore, they said.

The murder of Devaraju follows the murder of JD-S corporator Haji Mohammad Ali on Jan 16 when the former rowdy sheeter with 36 cases pending against him including attempt to murder and kidnapping was shot dead by unidentified persons here due to suspected personal enmity.