Ex-corporator, husband, 7 others held for BJP worker’s murder

BENGALURU: A former BBMP councillor, her husband and seven others have been arrested for the murder of BJP worker Chikkathimme Gowda, who was hacked to death while he was returning home on a two-wheeler on November 8.
According to police, Govinde Gowda, a JD(S) worker and husband of former BBMP councillor Varamahalakshmi, had agreed to pay Rs 30 lakh supari to bump off Chikkathimme Gowda who was once with the JD(S), but had later sided with the BJP.Initially, Govinde Gowda paid the supari killers Rs 5 lakh. Once the job was done, he paid them another Rs 10 lakh, said police.
The arrested are Varamahalakshmi, 47 and Govinde Gowda, 58, both from Lakshmana Nagar; Manikanta, 24, from Sunkadakatte; Harish, 24 of Lakshmana Nagar; Manikanta alias Yogesh, 25, from Sunkadakatte; Suresh alias RX Suri, 24, of MC Layout; Mathew alias Ajay, 19 of Chandra Layout; Sanaulla alias Sana, 18, of Magadi Road and Yuvaraj alias Yuva, 27, of Mallathahalli.
According to police, Chikkathimme Gowda had backed Varamahalakshmi when she successfully contested the 2010 BBMP elections. However, in the 2015 election, Chikkathimme Gowda backed the BJP candidate, who defeated Varamahalakshmi. He is also believed to have worked against the couple when they were cheated of over Rs 1 crore by their adopted son. The duo was yet to pay the remaining amount to the supari killers.