Rowdies attack police, shot at

BANGALORE: The sleuths of the Organised Crime Wing (OCW) of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) injured two rowdies by firing bullets at them after the rowdies attacked the police, who had gone to arrest them. The incident was reported when the rowdies were conspiring to rob people near Bagalagunte in Peenya police station limits in the wee hours of Sunday.Vinay Kumar alias Kurup Vinay alias Vini (27), a resident of Hanumanthanagar and Dhaba Murthy (26) of Jnanajyothi Nagar near Mallathalli are the accused. Vini is the associate of notorious rowdy Cycle Ravi while Murthy is a close aide of rowdy Hebbet Manja.According to the police, the duo were conspiring dacoity on a biker near government hospital behind Widia Factory on Bagalagunte Road at around 3.30 am. Police rushed to the spot and tried to nab them but they sped away on the bike, the cops chased them. In a bid to escape, the accused lost control over the bike and fell into a storm water drain. The duo then started running, but the police surrounded them.“Vini was surrounded by ACP Hadimani and others, while Murthy was surrounded by inspector Srinivas and his team. Though police asked them to surrender, Vini opened fire from his London-made revolver at Hadimani. But it hit the police jeep. “To save the lives of the policemen, inspector Sakri opened fire and the bullet struck on Vini’s thighs,” the police said.In the melee, when Murthy attacked constable Srinivas with a machete and inspector, the constable shot Murthy on his thigh. The duo were taken to M S Ramaiah hospital, the police added.The police have seized a revolver, weapons and a bike from the accused. Recently, the duo had attempted robbery in Kalaghattagi of Dharwad and they had abandoned their SUV and fled after the police chased them. The city police were on a lookout for them since then.Vini is involved in more than nine cases including a murder case of Chamarajanagar town muncipal’s former member. He is a rowdy sheeter of Byatarayanapura police station since 2003. While Murthy is facing several cases against him.A case has been registered in Peenya police station.