Police open fire and arrest duo who allegedly murdered former councillor Rekha

The police on Friday cracked the murder of former city councillor Rekha Kadiresh, who was hacked to death outside her office at Cottonpet on Thursday morning. The police team opened fire and shot at two men — Peter and Surya — who are believed to have stabbed the corporator. Both men were former associates of her late husband Kadiresh S.

Incidentally, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had given his assurances on Thursday that the assailants would nabbed within 24 hours.

Special teams that were formed after the brazen attack tracked the duo down to a wooded area in Sunkadakatte. However, the police shot at their legs when the duo allegedly tried to attack them and flee. They have been admitted to a private hospital, where they are recovering.

“We identified them as the assailants soon after the murder. While the complainant in the case, Sanjay, nephew of the deceased and one of the first responders after the attack, identified Peter and Surya, we recovered CCTV footage from the area that showed them fleeing the spot after the murder,” said a police officer.

The police have determined there were at least five members in the hit team. “We have detained some of them and are on the lookout for the others,” said the officer.

The former councillor’s husband met a similar end in 2018, when he was stabbed to death in Cottonpet. Peter and Surya, who were his associates at the time, had rowdy-sheets against them that were recently closed. “They were upset with Rekha Kadiresh for sidelining them after her husband’s death,” a source said.

Rekha, a BJP leader, had blocked a garbage contract to Peter and had stopped giving the duo money. “The duo recently had a bitter tiff with her over the matter,” said the police source.

Larger conspiracy?

However, according to the police, they were not acting alone. “We have reason to believe others who held a grudge against the councillor joined hands with the duo. We suspect an internal family tiff between Kadiresh’s family over Rekha taking over his legacy, both in terms of property and politics. This played a role in the murder. There are people aspiring to become a councillor from the ward in the BBMP elections. Rekha Kadiresh, as a two-time councillor, posed a clear hurdle,” the police officer said.

Kadiresh’s elder sister Mala, also a rowdy-sheeter, has been questioned in connection with the case.

The last rites of the councillor were held in the city on Friday with several city BJP leaders in attendance. State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel also paid his last respects and gave his word that the government would uncover the entire conspiracy.

Source: Read Full Article