QUICK ACTION: Shankar, one of the accused in the murder of Balu, at the Central Police Station in Bangalore on Saturday.

BANGALORE: An armed gang dragged a Dalit Panthers of India leader out of his car and hacked him to death in full public view at Siddaiah Road-Lalbagh Road junction, in front of Urvashi cinema, here on Saturday.

The police gave his name as Balu (28), a resident of Flower Garden in Cottonpet.

They said Mr. Balu was also a social worker and had recently joined Janata Dal (Secular).

While he was returning home from Janata Dal (Secular) office on Race Course Road, three men trailed his car on a motorcycle. When Mr. Balu, who was at the wheel, slowed his car near the traffic signal in front of Urvashi cinema at about 4.45 p.m., one of the armed men hit him with a chopper.

Mr. Balu lost control over the vehicle and rammed a traffic post.

The three men dragged him out of the car and attacked him with swords and choppers, killing him on the spot.

Mr. Balu's friend Vinod, who was occupying rear seat of the car, jumped out and ran to safety, the police said.

`Cobra' chase

When an alert public chased the assailants, the staff of Cobra traffic patrol squad joined them and caught one of the attackers. He was identified as Shankar of Flower Garden.

He gave the names of his accomplices as Ganesh alias Appu and Appi. They are also residents of Flower Garden, the police said.

A senior police officer told The Hindu that Mr. Balu had recently petitioned to senior police officers and the local police that matka and illicit arrack trade were flourishing in Flower Garden and surrounding areas. Acting on his complaint, the police had curbed the illegal activities there.

Preliminary investigation has indicated that those who were into such activities have got Mr. Balu eliminated, the officer said.

The front portion of Mr. Balu's car was mangled after the vehicle rammed the traffic post.

The impact of the attack was so severe that blood had oozed out of his body on to the road and flesh was strewn around the car.

Horrified by the murder, several shopkeepers in the area closed their establishments.

Following the murder, traffic came to halt on Lalbagh Road and Siddaiah Road for nearly two hours.

This resulted in traffic jams in surrounding areas. Several policemen were deployed to regulate traffic and also to disperse onlookers who gathered at the murder scene.

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