Mandya:  A rowdy sheeter from Bengaluru, was brutally murdered by a rival gang on Mysuru-Bengaluru highway near Srirangapatna yesterday.

The rowdy sheeter who was hacked to death with lethal weapons is Arasaiah, who has several cases of extortion, murder and dacoity against him  at various Police Stations in Bengaluru.

Yesterday afternoon, Arasaiah, was is the President of Mahakali Temple Trust, Srirangapatna had come to the temple near T.M. Hosur in Srirangapatna along with two of his friends to offer puja on the occasion of Bheemana Amavasye.

After performing puja, Arasaiah and his friends were returning to Bengaluru in a car, when three cars which were following Arasaiah’s car, overtook his car and blocked the way.

Soon, members of the rival gang holding lethal weapons got down from the cars and ran towards Arasaiah’s car. Seeing the rival gang approaching the car, the friends of Arasaiah fled from the spot. Arasaiah, who was behind the wheels was caught by the rival gang, who launched a murderous assault on him (Arasaiah) with machetes and  other lethal weapons on his head and neck leaving him seriously injured before fleeing from the spot.

Though Arasaiah was rushed to a private hospital in Mysuru by his friends, he breathed his last at the hospital in the evening after failing to respond to the treatment.

Based on the complaint lodged by his friend Srinivas, Srirangapatna Rural Police, who have registered a case in this regard, are investigating.