Murder accused attacks cops with knife, police shoot in self-defence

Manja alias Mental Manja wanted in a murder case. He attacked the police with a knife when they went to arrest him. Mental Manja had hacked one Muniraju to death for being reprimanded for teasing Muniraju’s sister-in-law. He was absconding since then He is now being treated at Victoria Hospital and said to be out of danger

Manja alias Mental Manja, accused in a murder case, attacked Hebbagodi police with a knife when they went to arrest him. In self-defence the police fired at his right leg and injured him. He is currently under treatment in Victoria Hospital and is out of danger. The police will take him into custody after he recovers, said DySP SK Umesh.

Manja of Chintala Madivala village, Hebbagodi, was a driver and was an eve teaser. His neighbour, one Muniraju, a tempo driver, was one day taking his sister-in-law in his tempo and Manja teased and misbehaved with her. Infuriated, Muniraju had warned Manja against misbehaving with his sister-in-law.

Later Muniraju informed the village leaders about Manja’s behaviour and they called him and warned him. This angered Manja and when, on Saturday, Muniraju was sitting in his tempo at Bommasandra, Manja arrived, dragged Muniraju out of his tempo and hacked him to death in broad daylight in full public view and then went absconding.

A special team was formulated, with Anekal Sub-division DySP S K Umesh heading it. On information, that Manja was sleeping in a tourist resort at Sakalavara, near Bannerghatta, the police went to arrest him. He had escaped from the spot and was going on a two- wheeler. The police followed him.

On seeing the police Manja took out his knife and attacked Hebbagodi inspector Vishvanath. Then he tried to jump a fence and escape. DySP Umesh shot in the air and warned him to surrender. Manja tried to attack Umesh and he shot Manja on his right leg in self-defence, said, Dy SP to Kannada Prabha. Manja is under treatment at Victoria Hospital. He will be taken into custody after recovery, he said.