Team Mangalorean, Bangalore

Bangalore: Nearly twenty men waylaid BML Krishnappa, Leader of Opposition in Bangalore Rural Zilla Panchayat,  at Dasanapura near Nelamangala while he was on his way back home, and was hacked to death instantly on Wednesday night July 25.

While the attack was going on, politician Krishnappa's police guard shot and killed one of the assailants. Krishnappa, a JD(S) leader, had left Seshadripuram and was returning home when his car’s path was blocked by a 'canter' parked horizontally on a service road at Dasanapura near Arishinakunte around 8.45 pm. The canter had been tail-gating Krishnappa and his supporters who were travelling by two cars. After overtaking  Krishnappa’s car near a service road , the assailants blocked the politician's car..

The scene left Krishnappa’s car sort of stuck between the canter in the front and vehicles of his supporters at the back. Some assailants were in the canter and a few others in a tempo and another car, it is learnt. One of them shot at Krishnappa while he was still in his car. Moments later, other assailants got out of their vehicle, dragged Krishnappa out of his car, and attacked him with lethal weapons. Krishnappa died instantly.

While the attack was going on the security guard to Krishnappa, opened fire at the gang of assailants, killing one and injuring another. The dead assailant’s identity is not known but his accomplices left his body and fled. Krishnappa’s driver was also injured and his condition is serious. Three supporters of Krishnappa were also injured. Police suspect the leader’s murder to be revenge for the killing of Hadiyaala Devi, a member of Nelamangala taluk Panchayat and Krishnappa’s political rival. The JD(S) leader had got Devi killed by the gang of Beettanagere Shankar. Krishnappa, a native of Binnamangala in Kasaba hobli of Nelamangala taluk, was a ZP member from T Begur. It is also learnt that, there was a similar attempt on Krishnappa's life two years ago.

After hearing about their 'murder,  supporters of Krishnappa went on the  rampage in Nelamangala, stoning vehicles and shops and disrupting traffic for nearly two hours. Police had to disperse the crowd by means of lathi charge.  Seven private buses and some lorries were also stoned. Two KSRTC buses were also torched during the rampage . Police check  posts have been formed at entry points in Tumkur, Chikkaballapur, and Ramanagar districts to snatch the killers.