• Man clings to moving car bonnet in shocking ride
• Passerby shoots incident on phone camera 

Mysore/Mysuru: An RTI activist has been arrested on charges of attempt to murder after a video showing a man clinging precariously to the bonnet of a moving car surfaced yesterday evening.

N. Gangaraju, the RTI activist, was arrested after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against him at Kuvempunagar Police Station in the early hours today.

The complaint was filed by Dhananjaya, the victim in the incident. Police have booked Gangaraju under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for attempt to murder, according to Police sources.

What led to the dispute?

The dispute between Gangaraju and Dhananjaya is linked to the controversial 50:50 site allotment scheme of the erstwhile Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), under which land losers were entitled to receive alternative sites.

According to sources, Dhananjaya had handed over a certain amount of money through Gangaraju to another person for the purchase of a site under the scheme.

However, before the site registration could be completed, the MUDA 50:50 site allotment scam surfaced and the Government revoked further allotments under the scheme. Later, following the unearthing of a huge site allotment scandal worth thousands of crores of rupees, the Government rebranded MUDA as Mysuru Development Authority (MDA).

Since then, Dhananjaya had allegedly been demanding the return of his money from Gangaraju.

Drama near Sub-Registrar’s Office

The incident reportedly took place around 4 pm yesterday near the Sub-Registrar’s Office at the MUDA complex in Ramakrishnanagar, where Dhananjaya allegedly confronted Gangaraju and demanded his money back.

Police sources said, Gangaraju, who allegedly lost his temper during the argument, told Dhananjaya to approach the person who had received the money.

As Gangaraju walked towards his Maruti Baleno car (KA-09-MD-5058), Dhananjaya reportedly attempted to block the vehicle from moving.

What followed created a dramatic scene on the busy road. Gangaraju allegedly drove the car forward after hitting Dhananjaya, who fell onto the bonnet and held on to the wipers to avoid falling.

A video recorded by passersby showed the car moving at speed while Dhananjaya clung to the bonnet as the vehicle navigated curves before finally stopping near Kuvempunagar Police Station.

After the car halted, Dhananjaya fell off the bonnet and rushed into the Police Station to lodge a complaint. Gangaraju allegedly fled the spot in his vehicle.

Counter-allegation

Police later picked up Gangaraju from his residence and brought him to Kuvempunagar Police Station, where arrest formalities were completed in the wee hours. He is likely to be produced before a Court this afternoon.

The incident triggered outrage among local traders and residents. “Such incidents are happening in broad daylight on one of the city’s busiest roads. It appears there is no fear of the law anymore,” they said.

Meanwhile, speaking to Star of Mysore yesterday, Gangaraju alleged that he had been attacked by Dhananjaya and four others and that he drove to the Police Station fearing for his life. However, Police sources said, no complaint had been filed by Gangaraju even several hours after the incident.