Belagavi: The Karnataka police on Sunday arrested three people for allegedly firing at Sri Ram Sene Belagavi President Ravi Kokitakera.
The 45-year-old victim had sustained bullet injuries on his chin and was admitted to a hospital in the city.
The arrested persons have been identified as Rahul N Kodachawad, Jyotiba G Mutagekar and Abhijeet S Bhatkande, the police said.
The police are inquiring about the reason for the accused to fire at Kokatikera, it said.
Kokitakera was shot at by an unidentified person at his native Hindalga village near Belagavi city Saturday late in the evening.
Kokitakera escaped with injuries on the chin and his driver with injuries on his hand after an unknown person shot at them.
“Ravi Kokitakera was returning to Belagavi from Hindalga. The incident took place when the four-wheeler vehicle slowed down due to a hump ahead. That is when an unknown person on a motorbike shot at Ravi Kokitakera, who was sitting at the front seat. But the bullet missed the target. However, Kokitakera sustained injuries on his chin and his driver on his hand,” City Police Commissioner MB Boralingaiah told reporters here on Saturday.
The firing took place between 7.30 pm and 7.45 pm, he said, adding that there were four people including the injured persons traveling in the car. Soon after the incident, both were rushed to the hospital and are out of danger, police said.
The police are conducting investigation from all angles, whether there was personal or ideological reason for the accused to have fired at the victims, police added.
A case has been registered in Belagavi rural police station and a probe has been initiated to identify and nab the accused, the police said.
Sri Ram Sene’s Founder Pramod Muthalik condemned the incident and demanded the CCTV cameras near the Hindalga Central Jail be checked.
DCP Ravindra Gadadi, Boralingaiah visited the private hospital.
As a precautionary measure, a Karnataka Special Reserve Police (KSRP) team has been stationed near the hospital.
