Siddapura Mahesh hacked to death by rival gangs

A notorious rowdy sheeter, who was arrested in a murder case and released on bail from Central Jail, Bengaluru on Friday night, did not enjoy his freedom for long. Less than one and a half hours after his release, an armed gang attacked him just one and a half kilometres from the prison while he was being driven home by his newlywed wife and two associates near Hosur Road junction.

The slain gangster, Mahesh N alias Siddapura Mahesh (35), tied the knot only two months back, police sources said.

Miscreants in a car and two bikes blocked Mahesh’s car while he was heading home. They then attacked him with machetes, resulting in his death.

“They smashed his head into pieces, beyond recognition. When rival gangs engage in a revenge killing, they commit the most brutal act of murder to send out a strong message to the rival gang to ‘not mess with them or this would be the result’,” an officer looking into the case told DH.      

C K Baba, DCP (South-East) said on Saturday evening that no arrests have been made yet.

“Previous enmity seems to have triggered the murder,” he added.

According to the police, Mahesh had 11 cases including murder, attempt to murder, and extortion. Officers investigating the case said they suspect the hand of rival gang leader Wilson Garden Naga.

“He is known to give supari to bump people off and extort money. This looks like his handiwork. He (Naga) and Mahesh were members of a gang led by Lingaraju alias Shantinagar Linga. When Linga began preferring Mahesh to Naga, the duo developed differences. The enmity grew deeper when Shantinagar Linga was murdered in 2020 in his farmhouse. Mahesh suspected Naga’s hand in it,” added the officer.

“When Mahesh was lodged in Ballari jail in a murder case and was released on bail a few years back, no less than 200 people took out a procession in Ballari as a show of strength,” he added. 

How did Mahesh’s bail news leak?

Sources familiar with the investigation suggest that jail inmates and individuals aware of the legal proceedings within the prison could have informed Mahesh’s rivals about his release.

“There are plenty of gangs inside the jail and the information about who is getting bail and who is getting out travels fast,” added the officer. 

History of gang rivalry plays out

On July 4, 2020, Siddapura Mahesh and his gang attacked Lakkasandra Madan near a temple in Jayanagar police station limits. Madan died on the spot due to the attack by Mahesh’s gang.

The incident occurred in broad daylight at 11.45 am, leading to Mahesh’s arrest by Jayanagar police for Madan’s murder. During a recreation of the crime scene in Thalaghattapura, Mahesh attempted to escape but was shot in the left leg by the pursuing officers.

Mahesh was held at Parappana Agrahara in connection with Madan’s murder and was released last month. However, he was arrested again shortly afterwards for attempting to escape from the police during an investigation at the crime scene.

According to a police officer who thoroughly studied Mahesh’s case, there were several attempts by Mahesh to kill Wilson Garden Naga, and Naga had also launched attacks on Mahesh.