A 44-year-old man with a criminal past, Shiva Prakash alias Bikkalu Shiva, was brutally murdered near Halasuru Lake on Tuesday night, in what police believe stems from a property conflict.
Shiva, who had 11 criminal cases and was on the Bharathi Nagar police’s rowdy list since 2006, was attacked by a group of men around 8:10 pm while talking to his driver Imran Khan and friend Lokesh. Witnesses described the assault as savage—his skull smashed and face disfigured.
Police have detained five suspects and are interrogating them.
In a startling complaint, Shiva’s 68-year-old mother, Vijayalaxmi, named KR Pura MLA Byrathi Basavaraj and several others, alleging the murder was plotted over a land dispute in Kithaganur. She claimed Shiva faced threats after refusing to surrender GPA rights to one of the accused. On Tuesday evening, as she watched from her balcony, she saw eight to ten men attacking her son. Imran, who tried to help, was also beaten, while Lokesh allegedly filmed the killing.
An FIR has been lodged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 103 (murder) and 190 (unlawful assembly).
Denying involvement, MLA Basavaraj said, “I don’t even know who Bikkalu Shiva is. My name has been added without cause. I will cooperate with the investigation and fight this legally.”
Police are analysing CCTV footage and may soon serve the MLA with notice.