Bengaluru: A farmer’s journey on the highway turned fatal after his car was chased and hit by miscreants — suspected to be tobacco smugglers — in two SUVs.According to sources, the incident on Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) near Hoskote is linked to the smuggling of chewing tobacco products (gutka or pan masala). Special teams formed to crack the case have been sent to Rajasthan and other neighbouring states.The farmer was Purushottam, 49, a resident of Lakkur village in Kolar district. He was also a driver for a major e-commerce firm.Purushottam’s nephew, Praveen, 24, told police they visited Laggere on March 21 to get his uncle’s Maruti Swift car repaired. After completing the work, they left around 8.30pm and reached their hometown Lakkur. After dinner, the duo set out again in the car to drop Praveen at his house near Hoskote.Trouble began near Lakkur highway junction on the STRR stretch when Praveen noticed two black SUVs parked by the roadside. Shortly after they drove past, the SUVs began following their car.Between 11.50pm and 12.10am, one of the vehicles rammed their car from the rear. Alarmed, they steered on to the service road, but the second SUV sped towards them near Somalapura Gate and crashed into their vehicle, police said.Purushottam, who was driving, sustained severe head and chest injuries and died on way to hospital.Cops suspect Purushottam and Praveen were extorting money from vehicles transporting tobacco products illegally. The smugglers in the SUVs, when chased, allegedly rammed the car and escaped.
