Thaindian News

Bangalore, Oct 10 (IANS) Nine people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder of Congress corporator S. Nataraj here Oct 1 owing to personal rivalry, police said Monday.

“Nine people, including R. Murugan (45), who contested against Nataraj in the civic elections as an Independent last year, have been arrested under various sections of the IPC (Indian Penal Code), including section 302 for conspiring and hiring contract killers to murder Nataraj,” Bangalore’s Police Commissioner Jyoti Prakash Mirji told reporters here.

All the accused have been remanded in police custody till Oct 22 for further interrogation and investigation after they were presented before a local court earlier in the day.

Police also recovered from the accused lethal weapons, mobile phones and a car used for the crime.

Nataraj, who represented the Gandhinagar ward (No. 94) in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahangara Palike (BBMP), was hacked to death in upscale Malleshwarm area in the north-west suburb in broad daylight Oct 1.

“Preliminary investigation and interrogation of the accused revealed that Murugan had agreed to pay Rs.25 lakh as contract fee (supari) to the hired assassins for eliminating Nataraj, with whom he had personal and property disputes,” Mirji said.

Murugan operates an art and painting firm, which makes banners, hoardings and posters for political parties, film industry and private parties.

The other accused caught by the Crime Branch team of the police in the city and Tamil Nadu are Vijayakumar, Mohan, Srinivas, Nagesh, Mani, Girish, Navin and Rajgopal.

“As two more people involved in the crime are absconding, efforts are on to nab them soon for solving the murder case,” Mirji added.

The gruesome murder in the busy market area caused panic in the city, prompting civic copuncillors to demand security.