Bengaluru: A 37-year-old medical shop owner was brutally hacked to death on a busy road in Madiwala Saturday night, leaving motorists and pedestrians shocked. The victim, Suhail from Mangammanapalya, was attacked by a gang of four men armed with weapons.According to preliminary investigation, police said Suhail was travelling from Madiwala towards Koramangala around 9.45pm near St John’s Hospital on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle along with his friend Saif, who was in the rider’s seat. They stopped in a traffic jam on the main road when the attackers, who allegedly arrived on two motorcycles, suddenly surrounded them.The gang attacked Suhail with two swords and machetes in full public view. He fell onto an adjacent scooter soon after the attack. Three two-wheeler owners left their vehicles and ran from the spot to save themselves. Saif also fled. The attackers, their faces covered with masks, left after confirming that Suhail was dead. He suffered severe injuries and died on the spot.Police suspect the murder could be linked to an old rivalry between Suhail and the assailants, who are also residents of Mangammanapalya.Initially, police suspected Suhail was killed as revenge for the murder of rowdy-sheeter Shabbir in Jan this year, in which Suhail’s brothers were among the accused. Suhail, however, was not involved in any criminal cases in the past and was living a normal life running a medical store. He had purchased a used bike a few months ago, sources said.However, police now believe Suhail was murdered by another gang with whom he had enmity.Soon after learning about the incident, a few of Suhail’s family members gathered at the spot and told police they would not spare anyone involved in the murder, leading to an argument. A senior officer said, “We have detained a few suspects in the case and have subjected them to questioning.”Suhail is survived by his wife and children.Madiwala police have registered a case under Section 103 (murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and have formed a special team to nab the killers. Traffic on Hosur Road and surrounding roads was disrupted as passersby stopped to see the murder, while police blocked the road to protect the crime scene.
