Businessman gunned down

 A 51-year-old businessman, who was shot at by his friend at the BMTC complex in Whitefield on August 25, died of his injuries at a hospital here on August 27.

Police said Venkat Rao, a native of Andhra Pradesh, was shot by his friend Subhash, 35, a smalltime real estate dealer.

Rao had taken a couple of floors in the BMTC complex on lease and had rented them out. He also had an office-cum-residence on the third floor, where he was staying alone. Subhash, also a native of Andhra Pradesh, used to visit Rao frequently and stayed in his house.

On August 25 night, Subhash took out his pistol and shot at Rao while he was sleeping. Hearing the gunshot, Rao’s driver, sleeping in a nearby room, rushed to his room. Subhash told the driver that someone had shot Rao and fled. He asked him to shift Rao to a hospital. But on August 27, Rao died of the injuries.

Subhash, who helped the driver shift Rao, dropped him near the hospital and fled. The driver informed Rao’s relatives and who, in turn, alerted the police who took the driver and Subhash for questioning.

“The police team started tracking Subhash. He was nabbed in Nellore in Andhra Pradesh on August 29. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime and the police seized his licensed gun. It is suspected that both he and Rao had a tiff recently over a woman Rupa (name changed) who was working as Rao’s assistant. But the reason for Subhash shooting at Rao is yet to be ascertained,” said a senior police officer.