Wannabe ganglord shot during police chase near Peenya

An aspiring ganglord was shot in the leg by police when he allegedly attacked a head constable to resist arrest early on Tuesday morning.

Police said Praveen, 22, attacked head constable Rangaswamy, who was part of a police team that went to arrest him near a building site in Tippenahalli, Peenya, North Bengaluru.

According to police, Praveen is an associate of Anil Kumar alias Anil, a history-sheeter from RS Layout, who is accused of plotting the murder of his rival Abhishek alias Andrahalli Abhi.

Peenya police said they had received information that a group armed with lethal weapons had gathered in an empty space at Karihobanahalli on January 15 to discuss something.

They rushed to the spot and found nine people gathered there. While six of them escaped, three people — Afsar, Shashank and Bharath — were caught while trying to flee on a scooter.

Police found two machetes and a bag of ganja weighing two kilograms in their possession.

A case was registered against them under the NDPS Act, the Arms Act and of preparation of dacoity under IPC sections. Praveen was among the six people who had escaped.

Around 4.30 am on Tuesday, police went to at an under-construction building at Tippenahalli to nab Praveen, when he wielded a machete on head constable Rangaswamy. Police sub-inspector Maarappa L Birani shot Praveen in the right leg.

Praveen and Rangaswamy were taken to Sapthagiri hospital for treatment. Praveen is involved in three crime cases.

The arrested trio confessed to police that they were laying in wait to hack their rival Abhishek who was heading towards Karihobanahalli with his friend Vishal and wanted to rob them.

Praveen dreamt of emulating history-sheeter ‘Slum’ Bharat who was killed in an encounter. Abhishek, however, stood in the way.