CID to probe 22-yr-old’s murder in Bengaluru: Karnataka CM Bommai

Though the Bengaluru city police commissioner Kamal Pant had called it a case of road rage, however, home minister Araga Jnanendra had claimed that Chandru was killed as he could not speak Urdu, raking up communal tensions.

The state has handed over Chandru murder case to the criminal investigation department (CID), said Karnataka chief minister (CM) Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday. The development comes after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader accused Bengaluru police of pressurising Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra to hide the “truth” behind the murder.

As per police, 22-year-old Chandru was killed over an alleged road rage by three persons in JJ Nagar police station limits in Bengaluru in the wee hours of Tuesday, last week. (Representative use)

As per police, the 22-year-old was killed over an alleged road rage by three persons in JJ Nagar police station limits in the wee hours of Tuesday, last week.

“The state government has decided to hand over the investigation into the JJ Nagar Chandru murder case to the CID. Truth should come out. The decision was taken after conferring with state deputy general of police (DGP) and Bengaluru commissioner of police,” Bommai said on Sunday.

Though the Bengaluru city police commissioner Kamal Pant had called it a case of road rage, however, home minister Araga Jnanendra had claimed that Chandru was killed as he could not speak Urdu, raking up communal tensions.

Chandru was an apprentice in the railway department, said police. At the time of the incident, Chandru and his friend, Simon Raj were out past midnight in search of food after partying on the occasion of the latter’s birthday.

In JJ Nagar, Chandru’s bike reportedly brushed with another bike, leading to a heated argument between him and the other biker, identified as Pasha, said police.

Later, Pasha called two of his friends, said a police official, adding, things turned serious when Pasha brandished a knife at Chandru and stabbed him in the thigh. Police said that the victim succumbed to the heavy bleeding.

Pasha and his friends, including a minor, were taken in police custody later that day. The police said they arrested Shahid Pasha (21), Shahid Goli (22) and detained the minor based on the CCTV footage. Police are currently interrogating the trio.

Soon after the incident, Jnanendra had said that Chandru was killed because he could not speak Urdu. Later retracting his statement, Jnanendra said it was a source-based information, which was proven “wrong”.

“I have just got the detailed report..... (earlier) I had said it (murder) was due to a language issue, but it is not right.....he died because of stabbing, following a bike collision incident,” the minister said. However, other BJP members reacted sharply to the incident.

BJP state unit general secretary N Ravikumar had on Saturday alleged that the city police were trying to cover up the murder, casting aspersions on the commissioner itself. “The police may be avoiding more work. But the fact is that Chandru was killed for not being able to speak Urdu, which the home minister had stated clearly,” he had said. Police commissioner Pant stuck to his version.