Two assailants on bikes fired at a car in which Agricultural Produce Market Committee President Srinivas Murthy was travelling on Friday afternoon.
The JD(S) leader sustained three bullet wounds to his stomach, left shoulder and cheek.
Local media reports suggest that the police are questioning over 70 rowdy sheeters from Madanayakanahalli, Nelamangala, Dabaspete and Tyapagondlu.
Speculation was rife that after the death of rowdy Bettanagere Seena, Srinivas had gained superiority in the real estate business on the outskirts of the city. It is also being suggested that the death of rowdy Bhavani and AT Babu may have been the reason behind the incident. Further, the police are pursuing a political angle as Srinivas Murthy had quit the BJP and joined the Congress to contest the APMC polls.
Media reports suggest that Srinivas Murthy and ex-corporator Hanumanthe Gowda, who is from the JD(S) were close friends. This had allegedly angered the BJP corporator SR Vishwanath as he feared their friendship might jeopardise his potential to win the upcoming polls.
“This is the second attempt on his life, the earlier one being a few years ago. According to the CCTV footage, the assailants were in one car and two bikes. They followed him from his home in Basaveshwaranagar till the Yelahanka market. Since the place was crowded, they were waiting for the right time to fire,” a police official said.
Contrary to local media reports that two men had surrendered to the Yelahanka Police on Saturday, DCP North East, Harsha, said that no such incident had occurred.
“No one has surrendered till now. We have quite a few promising leads and the investigation is on. Once we find something conclusive, we will be able to give more information,” DCP Harsha added.
The APMC President also has cases of murder, attempt to murder, kidnap and extortion cases filed against him. In 2013, a case of atrocity was filed against him and he was out on bail, the police said.
Sinivas Murthy’s brother, Poison Rama, was detained by the police when he visited his brother at Columbia Asia Hospital. A case of attempt to murder has been registered at Yelahanka police station and DCP Whitefield, M Narayana, is heading the investigation.