Rowdy-sheeter hacked to death in Bengaluru; revenge suspected

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Jun 29, 2026: A rowdy-sheeter was hacked to death by a group of assailants in JP Nagar, Bengaluru, in what police suspect was a revenge killing linked to an old murder case.

According to the police, the victim has been identified as Raju alias Halmurka Raja. The attack took place at around 5:30 pm near IG Circle on the main road in JP Nagar. According to the police, Raju had come to a salon for a haircut. The assailants allegedly waited outside the salon until he finished.

After leaving the salon, Raju reportedly stopped at a tea shop and was walking home when four to five men allegedly chased him through a busy road and repeatedly hacked him with machetes.

Initially, Raju was shifted to a private hospital in a critical condition after being found lying in a pool of blood. He later succumbed to his injuries.

Police suspect the murder was carried out over long-standing enmity, with investigators probing whether it was in retaliation for the murder of Banashankari rowdy-sheeter Kutti alias Stand Kutti, which took place around 10 years ago.

According to the police, Raju was an accused in the Stand Kutti murder case and had been lodged in Parappana Agrahara Central Prison along with Ballari Shiva. He was also allegedly associated with the syndicate of the late south Bengaluru rowdy Arasayya and had been named in cases of murder, attempt to murder and robbery. Police said he was also an accused in the Channapatna double murder case.

Investigators suspect the murder may have been carried out by a gang allegedly led by Santosh alias Bat Santosh.

CCTV footage of the attack has surfaced, showing three assailants chasing and hacking Raju in the middle of the road at around 5:39 pm. After the attack, the accused allegedly escaped in a car.

The JP Nagar Police have formed special teams to trace the accused. Officers from the Central Crime Branch (CCB) also visited the crime scene and joined the investigation.