A man was allegedly shot dead by the owner of a car service center in Madikeri district, Karnataka, on Sunday morning. Following the incident, some unidentified persons set fire to the owner's property.
Police have booked a case of murder against four people, including the owner's wife.
According to Madikeri SP Rajendra Prasad, 47-year old Shekhar had left his car at Ghousia Car Service Center in Shanivarsanthe, Somwarpet taluk, in the morning. A fight broke out between the service station owner, Abdul Rabb, and Shekhar when his car was left untouched till 11:30 am.
"Since it was Ayudha Puja, Shekhar had left his Mahindra car for a water wash at the service center at 9:30 am. He had gone there to check, but until 11:30 am his car was left untouched. He accused the workers of deliberately neglecting his car. In the meantime, Abdul Rabb and his brothers - Akram Pasha and Mansoor Ahmed - came to the center. They assaulted Shekhar," the SP said.
Prasad said that the incident did not bear any communal colour and that it was purely a fight between two parties.
Shekhar called his friend Syed Pasha to the place. Syed came along with Shekar's teenaged son, Prasad said.
"The argument blew up and according to the complaint filed by Shekhar's son, Abdul Rabb's wife, Sajida Banu, brought the gun from the house. Abdul shot four rounds. Shekar was shot on his back and shoulder. They even tried to shoot Syed, but he escaped injuries," said Rajendra Prasad.
Shekhar died on the spot. He is survived by his wife, daughter and son, Prasad noted.
Abdul Rabb, Mansoor Ahmed, Akram Pasha and Sajida Banu were arrested on Monday and produced in judicial custody on Tuesday morning.
Following this, some people set fire to Abdul's property.
A source at the Madikeri district fire station said that they got a call from 108 emergency number at around 12:30 pm. "When we rushed there a house, a bike and a car had been set on fire," the source said.