Why wasn’t Ricky Rai driving on the night of the shooting? Here's what his driver said

Ricky Rai, son of the late underworld figure-turned-businessman Muthappa Rai, sustained injuries in a shooting incident near his residence in Bidadi, located in Karnataka's Ramanagara district, shortly after midnight on Friday.

The attack took place while Ricky was travelling in an SUV along with his driver and a personal security guard. According to preliminary police findings, unidentified assailants opened fire from behind a boundary wall, hitting the vehicle.

(Also Read: Karnataka: Son of late underworld don Muthappa Rai shot at, hospitalised)

What did the driver say?

According to a Times of India report, Ricky’s driver Basavaraju revealed a detail about the night. “Ricky usually insists on driving himself, he enjoys being behind the wheel. But last night, unexpectedly, he told me to drive,” he recalled. Moments later, gunshots rang out, shattering the calm. “Something struck the right door. Ricky had been hit, his nose was bleeding,” he added according to TOI.

“Rai was shot near his residence in Bidadi, a town in Karnataka. The incident took place around 1.30 am on Saturday. He has been referred to Bengaluru for treatment,” Ramanagara Superintendent of Police (SP) Srinivas Gowda told ANI.

Ricky was rushed to a hospital and is reportedly out of danger. The motive behind the attack is still under investigation.

More about Muthapa Rai

Muthappa Rai was once one of the most feared names in Bengaluru's underworld during the 1990s, before he reinvented himself as a businessman and socialite. Originally from Puttur in Dakshina Kannada, Rai rose to prominence in the city's crime circles but later claimed to have left that life behind.

He was also known for his involvement in real estate and for founding Jaya Karnataka, a social organization. Despite his controversial past, Rai remained a public figure until his death in 2020 due to cancer.

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