BJP leader killed in Bengaluru, old rivalry suspected

Bengaluru, June 24 Karnataka's ruling BJP leader and two time former Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) corporator Rekha Kadiresh was killed by two bike-borne assailants outside her office here on Thursday, police said.

Police said that they are suspecting an old rivalry behind the killing as Rekha's husband S. Kadiresh, a rowdy element, was hacked to death on February 7, 2018, by his rival rowdy gang that is active in Cottonpet.

Cottonpet is one of the oldest localities and commercial places, besides one of the highly densely populated areas of Bengaluru.

Rekha was aged about 45 years, survived by her daughter.

Additional Commissioner of Police (East) S. Murugan told media that around 10.30 a.m. the BJP councillor from Chalavadipalya was supervising distribution of relief material and breakfast when the incident happened.

The police said that Rekha was at her office near the flower garden in Cottonpete and was supervising distribution of relief material and breakfast when two bike-borne assailants attacked her with a machete.

The police said that she was rushed to Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) where she succumbed.

"Prima facie investigations revealed that it was a planned attack or there could be a possibility of involvement of an insider, as CCTV cameras installed outside the office are found to be switched off," the police said, adding that though it is a very densely populated area neighbours claim to have heard only 'some noise'.

"

Three years ago, in February 2018, Rekha's husband S. Kadiresh, who was facing more than 14 cases including extortion and murder cases was hacked to death near Muneshwara temple in Chalavadipalya, while he was overseeing the preparations Shivaratri arrangements and fall out this murder had led to murder of Shobhan just two months thereafter as part of Kadiresh gang's revenge plan.

The police added that Kadiresh and his gang had been nursing a grudge with Peter's men in the area and Kadiresh's rivalry intensified after his niece had eloped with Peter in 2017.

In 2018 his murder had took political turn too accusations flew thick with the state BJP's top guns including B. S. Yediyurappa and R. Ashoka had accused that Kadiresh was eliminated on behest of JD(S) MLA B. Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan who is now in Congress and chief aide of Leader of the Opposition, Siddarmaiah.