Bengaluru: City police have arrested 12 men in connection with the brutal murder of history-sheeter Syed Shabbir, who was hacked to death on Mangammanapalya Main Road in south Bengaluru on the night of January 12. The arrests come after an intensive, multi-state manhunt, officials said on Tuesday.
Syed Shabbir (30), the son of a retired Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) officer, was attacked while returning from Victoria Hospital in an autorickshaw. According to police, the assailants intercepted the vehicle around 10.30 pm, threw a potent chilli-based irritant—referred to by investigators as “third-degree powder”—into the vehicle, temporarily blinding Shabbir and his cousin, before launching a deadly assault with machetes and other sharp weapons.
Premeditated act of revenge
Preliminary investigations indicate that the murder was a carefully planned act of retaliation rooted in long-standing criminal rivalry. Police said Shabbir was a known history-sheeter who allegedly exercised control over local settlements, extortion rackets and other illegal activities in parts of south Bengaluru.
Investigators believe that several local petty criminals and rival gang members had grown resentful of Shabbir’s dominance. They were allegedly threatened, assaulted, or forced to operate under his control. This resentment eventually culminated in a conspiracy to eliminate him.
“Information gathered so far suggests that the accused had made at least two earlier attempts to kill Shabbir. However, those plans failed because he was cautious and frequently changed his movements,” a senior police officer said.
Attack planned around hospital visit
Police said the gang received specific information that Shabbir would be visiting a relative at Victoria Hospital on the night of the murder. Using this intelligence, they tracked his movements and lay in wait along his return route.
As the autorickshaw slowed on Mangammanapalya Main Road, the attackers intercepted it. The use of chilli powder was deliberate, police said, as it disabled Shabbir and his cousin, preventing them from escaping or resisting effectively.
Once Shabbir was incapacitated, the assailants attacked him repeatedly with machetes and other deadly weapons, killing him on the spot. His cousin, though injured and traumatised, survived the attack and later provided crucial inputs to investigators.
Twelve accused identified and arrested
The arrested accused have been identified as Noorullah alias Sunny (33), Nadeem alias Naddu (34), Salman Khan alias Paul (27), Mohammad Ali (29), Syed Ismail (30), Mohammad Siddique (30), Syed Khalim (32), Umrez alias UK (26), Imran alias Kalu (33), Nawaz Sharif alias One Ten (28), Salman Khan alias Aashique (27), and Syed Mubarak alias Mubbu (35).
Police said that after committing the murder, the accused fled Karnataka and scattered across several states, including Maharashtra, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, in an attempt to evade arrest.
Multi-state operation and seizures
Acting on credible intelligence, a special team from the Parappana Agrahara police station, working under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Electronics City Division) Narayana M, tracked the accused across state borders. Coordinated raids were conducted at multiple locations, leading to the arrest of all 12 suspects.
During the operation, police seized the weapons allegedly used in the crime, including machetes, as well as vehicles used by the accused to flee Bengaluru after the murder.
Officials said the coordinated effort demonstrated improved intelligence-sharing and surveillance capabilities among police units, particularly in cases involving organised crime networks.
Legal action and KCOCA likely
The Bandepalya police have registered a case under Sections 103(1) (murder) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Arms Act.
Police have also indicated that they plan to invoke the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA) against all the accused. If applied, KCOCA would allow for extended detention without bail for up to one year and enable stricter provisions against organised criminal activities.
“Following directives from Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, we are preparing to book all the accused under KCOCA,” DCP Narayana M said, adding that several of the arrested men are known history-sheeters with cases of murder, attempt to murder, extortion and robbery registered against them.
Conclusion
The arrest of all 12 accused marks a significant breakthrough in a high-profile murder case that sent shockwaves through south Bengaluru. Police officials said the investigation will continue to identify any additional conspirators and to dismantle the wider criminal network linked to the killing. The case underscores the city police’s renewed focus on tackling organised crime and violent gang rivalries through stringent legal measures.