A 45-year-old mechanic was allegedly beaten to death by a group of men after he refused to pay an extortion demand in Bengaluru’s Wilson Garden area on Sunday night.
The victim, Rasheed Pasha, was attacked near Bada Makan Road at around 9 pm, police said.
Assault following extortion demand
According to preliminary police information, Pasha worked as a jeep mechanic and had recently begun constructing a shop in the locality.
Earlier on Sunday, he had reportedly completed moulding work for the new shop.
Police said that three men approached him after noticing the construction and allegedly demanded ₹50,000 as “mamool” (protection money).
Pasha refused to pay the amount, leading to a heated argument.
Attack in front of his children
The confrontation reportedly began in the morning and escalated later in the evening.
Around 8.30 pm, the accused allegedly returned to the spot and repeated their demand for money.
When Pasha again refused, the trio allegedly attacked him with a bat and bamboo sticks.
The assault reportedly took place in front of his two young children, who were with him at the time.
Local residents rushed the severely injured man to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.
Police launch manhunt
Pasha’s body has been shifted to Victoria Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Police from the Wilson Garden Police Station have registered a murder case and launched a search for the accused.
Central Division DCP Akshay Machindra visited the spot and confirmed that a medico-legal case report had been received from the hospital.
“The victim was working here as a mechanic. A case has been registered and efforts are underway to trace the accused. The exact reason behind the incident is being investigated,” he said.
Following the incident, local residents gathered at the scene, and a Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) unit has been deployed in the area as a precautionary measure.