BENGALURU: A 64-year-old president-cum-principal of a private school here was stabbed to death by a gang of six men who barged into his office with knives on Sunday morning. The reason is said to be a property dispute. Ironically, the victim, Ranganath Nayaka, had gone to the school to discuss the same issue with a local leader who offered to mediate.
The attack took place around 10 am in Havanur Public School in Agrahara Dasarahalli on Magadi Road. About five hours later, the police were able to trace the main attacker Muniraju alias Babli in Mahalakshmi Layout, where they were forced to open fire at him and nab him. The rest are absconding. The dispute pertains to a building owned by one Gangamma on a site adjacent to the school, which had encroached upon the school property. The encroaching part of the building was demolished by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) two days ago based on a court order.
Ranganath Nayaka, a resident of Housing Board Colony near Rajajinagar, has retired as assistant manager at RBI. Nayaka owned the school, which he set up in 2003 after he retired. The family hails from Pavagada in Tumakuru district and had settled in the city. A police officer said the incident took place when Nayaka and the school’s administrative staff were at a meeting with a local leader, Rajashekar, to resolve the same property dispute.
Lokesh Gowda, an employee, and Yathish, an assistant, rushed to Nayaka’s rescue, but the duo too was attacked by the gang which then fled the scene. The attackers included Gangamma’s two sons. Gowda and Yathish sustained stab injuries. Lokesh Gowda said, “The gang stabbed Nayaka in his chest, thigh and stomach.”
Preliminary investigation has revealed that a portion of a residential building belonging to one Gangamma, located next to the school, had encroached upon the school property. Nayaka had approached the court over the encroachment as it was creating a problem for the school. The court had ordered demolition of the encroaching portion and BDA officials had demolished it with police protection two days ago.
Gangamma’s sons Prasad and Mahesh had reportedly nurtured a grudge against Nayaka over the demolition and had allegedly planned to kill him.
Prasad along with his gang came and allegedly attacked Nayaka in his chamber, stabbing him to death.
Babli, who was among the first to attack, was arrested within five hours of the murder, while Prasad, Mahesh and three others are absconding. The police have formed a special team to nab them, a police officer said. “We are yet to ascertain whether Babli and his gang had taken any ‘supari’ contract from Prasad to kill Nayaka,” an investigation officer added.
Nayaka’s elder brother Nagendraiah told The New Indian Express that Gangamma had passed away recently after which her two sons Prasad and Mahesh got into a dispute with Nayaka over the encroachment.
He said Rajashekhar, a local leader, who was also known to Prasad and Mahesh, had offered to mediate between the two parties to resolve the dispute. “My brother was being called to the school since two days. But he could not go as he had undergone an eye surgery a week ago. On Sunday he sought the doctor’s advice before going to the school,” Nagendariah said.