Bullet fired in the dark misses target; two arrested

Madikeri: A long-standing rivalry between two individuals from two political parties came back to haunt Chettalli village in Kodagu when one person fired at the other one on Sunday night. Fortunately, the bullet missed the target.

 Putharira Pappu Thimmaiah, a Congress worker in Chettalli-Siddapura region, has been arrested for opening fire at Ballaranda Kanti Cariappa at Abyathmangala village. Kanti, the son of BJP leader Ballaranda Mani Uthappa, is a Gram Panchayat member and is a known BJP activist in the region.

Kanti was returning from a wedding in Madikeri along with his wife on a bike. Knowing that Kanti was attending the wedding, Pappu Thimmaiah was waiting for him to return and was along with two to three persons in a car. Pappu Thimmaiah had participated in a coconut shooting competition at Nelaji village on Sunday.

As the bike reached Abbyala near Abyathmangala at around 10 pm, Pappu Thimmaiah opened fire and as Kanti was speeding, the bullet missed the target. Kanti told the Police that he had seen Pappu Thimmaiah getting out of the car with his gun. Shocked by the development, Kanti Cariappa lodged a Police complaint with the Madikeri Rural Police.

Pappu Thimmaiah had a long-standing dispute with Kanti Cariappa and as they belonged to different political parties, the rivalry only increased. Both of them had contested the Gram Panchayat elections and while Kanti won, Pappu lost. Both of them indulged in posting adverse comments on social media.

Madikeri Rural Circle Inspector Ravikiran has arrested Pappu Thimmaiah and the gun has been seized. An attempt to murder case has been registered and the accused has been sent to judicial custody. The Police have also arrested Chethan, another Congress worker for threatening an LLB student from Mysuru asking him not to report the firing incident.

The student has a house near the place where Pappu Thimmaiah had opened fire and he had come out of the house as he had heard the gunshot. Chethan allegedly called up the student and also sent messages to his mobile threatening him not to report the firing incident to the Police. A case of destroying evidence has been booked on Chethan. 

Based on Kanti’s complaint that two more persons were in the car along with Pappu Thimmaiah, the Police are looking for more clues and are collecting details.