Ex-corporator's husband killed

An RTI activist, who was husband of a former coporator, was hacked to death by unidentified men in Rajarajeshwarinagar police limits late on Thursday night.

Police identified him as Umesh Belagodu, 48, a resident of Rajarajeshwarinagar and husband of Rajeshwari, a former BJP corporator from Nayandahalli.

Preliminary probe revealed an old rivalry led to Umesh’s murder. He was into real estate business and had disagreements with a few people with regard to land issues. An RTI activist, he would often collect documents pertaining to various lands and would use the same to threaten some people.

Police said Umesh was accosted by a group of five people while returning home in his car around 9.45 pm, near a Bata showroom. Umesh saw them brandishing lethal weapons and started running. The suspects chased him down and attacked him with weapons.

He was rushed to BGS Global Hospital in Kengeri where he succumbed to injuries. The police collected some leads based on the CCTV footage in the area and formed a manhunt team.

Umesh was a loyal supporter of former minister V Somanna. His wife had won BBMP election on a BJP ticket from Nayandahalli in 2010. Soon, Umesh identified himself with former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa’s faction and managed to contest Assembly polls on a KJP ticket from Sakleshpur, but lost, the police added.