Mysuru: In a chilling daylight incident, a 38-year-old man was brutally hacked to death on the busy Doddakere Maidan main road near Dasara Exhibition Grounds, leading towards Ittigegud in city this morning.

The deceased has been identified as Venkatesh alias Gilki Venkatesh, an autorickshaw driver by profession and a resident of Kyathamaranahalli near Ashwathkatte in city. He is survived by his wife, one son and a daughter.

Venkatesh was once a close associate of rowdy-sheeter Karthik, who was murdered similarly, in front of a hotel on T. Narsipur Road near Varuna, in May this year. Both had fallen out over a financial dispute, it is said.

How did it happen?

According to onlookers, the incident occurred at about 11.45 am, when a gang of about 5, who came in an autorickshaw and a two-wheeler, blocked the Maruti Swift car (KA-05-NB-9574) and launched the brutal attack.

Victim had complained

It is reported that Venkatesh had informed the Police that an attempt on his life was made, and was seeking Police attention and had even mentioned who had attacked him. Since his first attack, there had been two unsuccessful attacks on him. Today was the third.

Shockwaves…

The incident has triggered shockwaves, especially when the city is still bustling with tourists and the Police are busy with security and traffic-related arrangements, even after Dasara.

Some of the onlookers shot pictures of the whole incident on their cell phone cameras, even as the assailants hacked the victim with long swords and other weapons.

Two teams formed

Acting on the footage of Closed-Circuit TV cameras collected from nearby shops, the Police are gathering clues to identify the assailants.  Two teams have been formed by the City Police Commissioner, Seema Latkar, to trace the assailants.

DCP (Law and Order) R.N. Bindu Mani, DCP (Crime and Traffic) K.S. Sundar Raj, ACP (Devaraja Sub-Division) Rajendra, jurisdictional Nazarbad Police Inspector Mahadeva Swamy, Devaraja Police Inspector Raghu and City Crime Branch (CCB) Inspector Lepaksha, Dog Squad and fingerprint experts visited the spot.

The body was shifted to Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI) mortuary after conducting a spot mahazar. A case has been registered at Nazarbad Police Station, and an investigation is on.