On Monday evening, miscreants chased the car of a JD(S) leader from Mandya, stopped him, opened the car doors and hacked him to death in broad daylight.

The incident occurred on Mysuru Road in Mandya. At around 4.30 pm, Honnalagere Prakash (50) was travelling in his car on Mysuru Road when four bike-borne assailants chased his car and stopped him at the highway on Maddur. The machete-wielding men opened the car’s back door, where Prakash was seated, and brutally hacked his neck and arms.

They left Prakash lying between the back seats, unconscious and covered in blood. Shocked onlookers immediately called an ambulance and Prakash was rushed to the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS).

Officials at MIMS say that Prakash was alive when he was brought in but succumbed to his injuries within minutes.

Angry residents and followers of Prakash then blocked the road. Soon, MLA LR Shivarame Gowda rushed to the crime scene and instructed the police to stop traffic flow.

This resulted in heavy traffic jams running up to 25 km on both sides of the road. Commuters were still stuck in the jam at the time this article was written.

A case of murder has been registered at the Maddur Police Station. Police say that Prakash’s murder may have been motivated by revenge.

“Two years ago, a JD(S) leader Kumar, also known as Cable Kumar, was brutally murdered by bike-borne assailants in Mandya. At the time, there was speculation that Prakash may have been involved in the crime. He may have been targeted by a rival faction but the investigation will reveal the truth,” the Maddur Police said.

The assailants had followed Kumar on a motorcycle and attacked him with sharp weapons and an iron rod. The Halagur police personnel said they were yet to get any clues about the assailants and that a team has been formed to nab them.  

This is a developing story