-Reshma Ravishanker

The attack on D Shashi Kumar, general secretary, Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools (KAMS) was planned by a rival claiming to be associated with a parents’ association, the police said. Five arrests have been made so far in the case. 

On July 29, a horrifying incident took place right in front of his house in Muthyalnagar near Vidyaranyapura where three masked miscreants with arms attacked Kumar just as he got out of a car. In a narrow escape, a quick thinking Kumar jumped back in his car, reached out to a firearm he carried, and later tried to chase his attackers but in vain. All of this had happened in the presence of some onlookers and other vehicles on the same road. Kumar had told the police that this was an attempt to murder him.

The police have made five arrests in this case while the mastermind is still at large. The police said that the attack was plotted by an office bearer of a school parents’ association who befriended the other attackers.

The mastermind had planned the attack for over six months now. He approached a murder accused Dilip who was released from jail on July 6 and planned the attack. The accused stayed in a rented accommodation, just 30 feet away from Shashi Kumar’s residence.

The police have nabbed four other suspects, – Abhishek, Karthik, Bharath and Pavan, who are residents of East Bengaluru and have all been arrested previously for attempted murder.

The mastermind, whom the police have not named, was also arrested previously for kidnapping the owner of a private school in Vijaynagar, Bengaluru. Abhishek was arrested with Dilip for attempted murder in Pulikeshinagar and was out of bail while Bharath was arrested for a murder by Banaswadi police and Pawan was arrested by Ramamurthy Nagar police for attempted murder.

Shashi Kumar had managed to escape with minor bruises on his hand. He has been vocal about several issues that bother the private school managements and their tussle with parent groups and the education department.

Also read: 

Masked men attack Karnataka private schools association president

Lowest school admissions in Bengaluru, govt-aided schools report surplus

Karnataka: Over 60,000 missing admissions in 250 private schools