BJP councillor brutally murdered in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: A BJP councillor was allegedly hacked to death in the city's southern suburb by unidentified assailants early on Tuesday, police said.

"Srinivas Prasad alias K. Vasu, 38, was hacked to death between 5-6 a.m. by some unidentified men on Hosur Road when he was driving in his car to a public park for a morning walk," Superintendent of Police (Bengaluru Rural) Amit Singh told IANS.

A resident of Anekal on the city's southern outskirts, Prasad was a member of the Bommasandra Municipal Council in the Bengaluru Rural District.

"Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects had stopped Prasad's car by stoning it, pulled him out of it and attacked him with lethal weapons. He succumbed to injuries before he was rushed to a nearby hospital," Singh recalled.

Police registered an FIR (First Information Report) under section 302 of the IPC and the Atrocities Act against the assailants and formed a special team to hunt them down.

"As the investigation is underway and the team is on the lookout for the assailants, it is early to tell the motive behind the deadly attack. For investigation reasons, we can't disclose more details," reiterated Singh.

A highway patrolling team, which arrived at the crime spot, alerted the rural police about the incident and informed Prasad's widow Shailaja, a local body member.

Vehicular traffic was affected on the busy National Highway 7 earlier in the day following a road blockade by about 200 BJP cadres who staged a protest demo, seeking the arrest of the assailants, as they suspected political rivalry behind the murderous attack on Prasad.

"We have formed a special team to nab the culprits. Some alleged political rivalry while others said a dispute over a real estate deal could be the cause behind the murder. We are investigating from all angles to ascertain the reason for the murder," Inspector General of Police Seemant Kumar Singh told reporters later.