Illegal arms, Rs. 6.88 lakh cash, 70  liquor bottles, 418 grams gold seized

Bengaluru, Feb.8- In an attempt to nab the shooters involved in Friday’s sensational Yelahanka shoot-out on Dasanapura APMC President Kadabagere Srinivas, the city Police yesterday raided the residence of gangster-turned activist and writer Agni Shridhar in ISRO Layout in Kumarswamy Layout in city.

Police zeroed in on him after inputs that he could be sheltering rowdy-sheeter Rohit alias Vonte Rohit, the main suspect in the broad daylight shootout.

Though they could not nab Rohit from his premises, the Cops arrested Syed Amaan alias Bachchan, another rowdy-sheeter in the raid, Rohit was later taken into custody from the same locality late yesterday evening.

During the raid, which  started at around 8 am and ended at around 4.30 pm, Police found illegal arms, 70 liquor bottles, 418 grams gold jewellery and Rs. 6.88 lakh in cash from the house of Agni Shridhar.

“We have found two revolvers in Shridhar’s house. In Bachchan’s house, we found two revolvers and live bullets, two machetes, two button knives, three daggers, four baseball bats, two pokers and two swords,” said Bengaluru (East) Additional Commissioner of Police Hemanth Nimbalkar, who headed the raiding team.

A FIR has been registered at Kumaraswamy Layout Police Station.

Bachchan is also a member of Shridhar’s pro-Kannada organisation, Nimbalkar said and added that a person identified as Tata Ramesh had filed a complaint with Yelahanka Police that two persons were threatening his life.

When Police were tracing the whereabouts of Rohit, they suspected that Shridhar had given him shelter, it is said.

On Monday, a person identified as Satish was arrested, and based on his confession, the Police went in search of Rohit, Nimbalkar said and added: “We have taken up a case against Shridhar, Bachchan,                                                   Rohit and others.

Bachchan and his six private bodyguards have been arrested and Shridhar, who is  not well has been hospitalised, Nimbalkar explained and added that the Police alerted the Excise Department Officials who reached the spot and seized the liquor bottles.

According to the Investigating Officers, Rohit had taken a supari to eliminate Srinivas who was earlier with BJP and now with the Congress.

After the attack, Ramesh, who is an associate of Srinivas, had filed a threat complaint.

The Police had been tipped off that Shridhar had allegedly given shelter to rowdy-sheeter Rohit who is a suspect in the shootout case on Srinivas on Friday. Hence the Police team raided Shridhar’s house. However, the Police did not find Rohit there, he added.

It may be recalled that Srinivas, who was attacked by bike-borne miscreants near Kogilu Cross on Ballari Road on Feb.3 and  sustained three bullet injuries, is under observation now.