Karnataka: Cop among 6 arrested for murder attempt on JD(S) MLA’s aide in Hassan district, says police

Bengaluru

A police inspector and five other accused have been arrested in connection with a murder attempt on a close aide of former minister and JD(S) MLA HD Revanna in Hassan district, police officials said on Sunday.

Inspector Ashok (who goes by his first name) from the intelligence wing of Kolar district police has been arrested on charges of aiding the accused in the murder attempt on Revanna’s aide Ashwath Narayana Gowda, police said, adding two more accused are still at large.

“Police registered a case under section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code against all the six accused, aged between 25 and 40 years,” Holenarasipura circle inspector Pradeep told HT. “Ashwath Narayana narrowly escaped the assassination bid. Through scientific evidences we arrested the six accused and produced them before the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) court, which remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days,” the circle inspector said, adding efforts on to arrest two other accused who at large.

During the operation, the police seized several crucial pieces of evidence, which included an Innova, an i10 and a Ford car, and eight mobile phones which provided information that the two absconding individuals were involved in the attempt to murder, police said.

The two men were in involved in a case of kidnapping of former MLA Varthur Prakash, police said.

The murder attempt took place on October 10 near Suranahalli, along the road leading to Revanna’s residence in to Channarayapatna in Holenarasipur where his house is situated. A case was registered at the Holenarasipura police station.

Many individuals closely associated with Revanna have been targeted by criminals. On August 9, Krishna Gowda, a close friend of Revanna, was killed. Krishna Gowda was a prominent granite businessman and contractor, police said.