Rowdy-sheeter who took video of nude man shot by police

Bengaluru: In an operation in the early hours on Tuesday, the city police opened fire at a rowdy-sheeter on the outskirts in the western part of Bengaluru, when he allegedly attempted to evade arrest by inflicting injury on a police constable.

The Kamakshipalya police, who were on the lookout for rowdy-sheeter Pavan Gowda alias Kadubu, received a tip-off about his whereabouts from their informants and based on mobile tower location, went to arrest him.

A team headed by the Kamakshipalya police inspector surrounded Gowda near a secluded place in Ullal near Kengeri. As a policeman advanced to detain Gowda, he allegedly threatened the team with a sharp object, claim police sources.

Even as the police warned and directed him to surrender, Gowda brandished the sharp object and refused to give in, the police claimed. However, head constable Venkatesh charged at him, angering the suspect.

Investigators said a policeman fired in the air to warn Gowda, but the suspect ignored it and attacked the head constable in the hand, causing a minor injury. This prompted the policeman to shoot Gowda in the right leg, causing him to collapse.

“He and the constable were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital. Both are out of danger,” said a police source.

A video of Gowda beating a man after forcing him to strip went viral on Monday, getting the police’s attention. Gowda is a rowdy-sheeter in the Rajagopalnagar police station limits. Officials said the incident occurred in July, but came to light only after the video surfaced on Monday.

A preliminary probe revealed that the man attacked in the video also had a criminal record and had therefore, refrained from lodging a complaint.

Police said Gowda and the man knew each other well. Recently, the man helped the police catch Gowda. As soon as he walked out on bail, Gowda exacted revenge on the man.

Gowda faces 13 cases — seven in Rajagopalnagar, three in Kamakshipalya, and one case each in Jnanabharathi, Tumakuru, and Amruthur police stations.