Pramesh S jain
Ricky Rai,the son of former underworld don Muthappa Rai,was injured in a shooting that occurred in the early hours of Saturday near his house in Bidadi in the early hours of Saturday
Rai was heading to Bengaluru with his driver and gunman in his Toyota Fortuner around 1:30 a.m,on Saturday when two rounds of gunfire were reported.A bullet pierced the driver’s door,injuring both Rai and his driver.
The driver sustained a minor injury to his back,while Rai was wounded in his right arm and nose.
Home Minister G.Parameshwara stated that both have been shifted to a private hospital and are out of danger.
The shooter likely used a shotgun,though this is yet to be confirmed.Scene of Crime Officers and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) teams have collected multiple samples from the crime scene.
The incident occurred just about 200 metres from the gate of Rai’s residence.The gunfire targeted his moving vehicle,injuring two people.
Police have not yet confirmed whether Rai’s privately hired gunman returned fire.Police are also yet to ascertain if the shooter acted alone or with accomplices.
The shooter had been hiding behind a cement wall across the road,waiting for Rai’s vehicle.
Police suspect the attacker positioned the weapon through a large hole in the compound wall before opening fire.
Investigators believe this was a meticulously planned attack and are also considering the possibility of an insider being involved, as the attackers seemed aware of Rai’s movements.
Senior officer said,Rai had returned to Bengaluru from Russia about three days ago and was attending to family matters.
The Bidadi police have recorded a complaint from Rai’s driver and are investigating possible leads.While initial findings suggest the incident may be linked to a business dispute,police have not ruled out other motives and are interrogating all of Rai’s and his family’s contacts.
Investigators have discovered that Rai was in an ongoing dispute with the owner of a real estate company.
The driver also voiced suspicion toward the real estate owner and Rai’s first wife.Police plan to summon both individuals,along with one of Muthappa Rai’s former rival Rakesh malli,muthappa rai second wife Anuradha and few realtors mentioned in the FIR.
An FIR has been registered at the Bidadi police station under the relevant section of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to attempted murder,along with charges under the Arms Act.
