• Source:JND
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Bengaluru News: A BJP MLA and former Karnataka minister has been named in a murder case following the brutal killing of a man outside his home in Bengaluru. The victim had a criminal background and was attacked and hacked to death by a group of four to five men.

Identified as Shivakumar, also known as Biklu Shiva, the man was standing outside his house near War Memorial Circle in Halasuru on Tuesday when the attackers arrived in a car and assaulted him with sharp weapons.

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According to NDTV, “Disturbing photos showed Shiva’s inner organs, including his brain, exposed.” The attackers fled immediately after committing the act.

Top police officials, including Joint Commissioner of Police Ramesh Banoth and Deputy Commissioner of Police D Devaraj, visited the site of the crime.

Following the incident, Shivakumar’s mother, Vijayalakshmi, filed a complaint that led to the registration of a murder case. The FIR includes BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj from Krishnarajapuram among the accused. He has been alleged to have abetted the murder.

Reports reveal that three months ago, Shivakumar had written a letter to the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, warning about threats he was receiving from Basavaraj and his aide Jagadish. In the letter, he accused them of attempting to take over his real estate properties. He claimed that Jagadish and Kiran, the MLA’s nephew, had threatened to kill him if he did not hand over a piece of land.

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Shivakumar also stated in his letter that Jagadish, despite multiple criminal cases, had his name removed from the police history sheet due to the MLA's interference.

"They have also tried to extort money from me by threatening to falsely accuse me of illegal activities in order to create legal troubles that would prevent me from developing or utilizing the land. I have been under constant pressure to sell my property to them at prices far below market value," he wrote in his letter.

He further accused the MLA of using political clout to grab land across Bengaluru East, often by intimidating landowners.

"Their activities involve the forcible taking of possession and use of political and illegal means to prevent rightful landowners from accessing or developing their properties. Using their political influence, they have been extracting benefits on sweet ways from local authorities and law enforcement to ignore complaints from landowners like myself, thus enabling their land-grabbing operations. They have also used their influence to pressure government officials, making it difficult for us to seek redress through legal channels," he added.

Fearing for his life, Shivakumar had urged the police for protection.

"With both my hands folded I am before your good-self requesting you to instruct the jurisdictional Police Inspector to register FIR against Sri. Byrathi Basavaraj, Sri. Sri.Jagdish @ Jagga, Sri. Kiran and their associates/ rowdy/goonda elements for threatening, extortion, land grabbing/ mafia, criminal trespass and criminal conspiracy, among other offenses," he wrote.

Police confirmed that an FIR was earlier filed against Jagadish based on Shivakumar’s complaint, but proceedings were put on hold following a court order.