Nothing seems to be falling in place for the police who are on lookout for the accused who escaped after attacking Mr Mahantesh (48), the Deputy Director of the Karnataka Co-operative Audit Service. The police seems to have hit a dead end after checking CCTV footages.
The CCTV at Chalukya junction was defunct due to the rain and images from traffic signal posts near Maharani’s Women College is blurred. It is said that cameras of Atria hotel near where Mr Mahantesh was found lying unconscious, was removed due to renovation work.The police have now formed five teams to track the attackers.
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Mr Jyothiprakash Mirji said summoned Mr G. Karibasappa, director of Karnataka Co-operative Audit Service, and asked him to furnish details of the audit undertaken by Mahantesh. Mr Mirji requested Mr Karibasappa to communicate with subordinates to find out if the victim had any issues with anybody.
“We are probing all angles and suspect the attack could have been due to road rage. A scooterist, who witnessed the attack, informed the security guards of Atria hotel who, in turn, informed the police. He was returning home after auditing work near Sahakarnagar in his Maruti 800 car. The attackers, who came in a Maruti van, stopped his car and attacked him with weapons,” Mirji said.
Mr S.B. Puttanaiah (76), a retired city municipality chief officer, who is the father of the victim, said his son was very humble and had no enemies. “My son used to respect even his office peons. Only the probe will throw light on the reasons for the attack,” he said.
Hospital version
Doctors at Mallige Hospital said there has been no significant improvement in his condition. However, his blood pressure has become normal.