BENGALURU:A 28-year-old man, who went to meet JD(S) candidate Sridhar Reddy from Shantinagar assembly constituency to ask for financial help for his grandfather’s cardiac surgery, was arrested after the JD(S) workers found him carrying a machete. The accused has been identified as Fasar Khan, a resident of Neelasandra.
Police said Khan had gone near Sridhar Reddy’s house in Austin town around Saturday midnight. As he did not know whether Reddy was at home, he asked the JD(S) workers what time Reddy would be returning home. Growing suspicious about his behaviour, the JD(S) workers searched his two-wheeler and found a machete in the storage space beneath the scooter’s seat. As they also found a cap that had Congress candidate NA Haris’ photo, they suspected that Khan had come to attack Reddy.
“They suspected that Fasar went there to attack the JD(S) candidate and nabbed him. Soon, they alerted the local police, who rushed to the spot and took him into custody. When interrogated, he said his grandfather was a heart patient and had to undergo a heart operation. As he had no money, he was approaching political leaders to get financial aid.
About carrying the machete, he reportedly said it was because of his rivalry with Barkath Ali, a rowdy who was allegedly involved in former corporator Dewan Ali’s murder. He recently had a fight with Barkath Ali and was carrying a lethal weapon with him for self-defence, fearing Ali would attack him,” the police added. The Ashoknagar police arrested Khan and seized his vehicle and machete as part of the probe.