Meet Agni Shreedhar, the former ruler of Bengaluru's underworld

By TN Vasudeva Murthy | First Published Feb 9, 2017, 6:31 AM IST

Sridhar would have become an IAS officer, or he would have started his career as a journalist if everything had happened as per his hopes.
However, today he is renowned writer, journalist, film producer and a social activist.

Agni Shreedhar, alias Shreedhar Murthy, alias Sridhar, became a Bengaluru underworld don in the seventies and eighties. Reformed since then, he has been a controversial figure in Bengaluru.

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Agni hails from Mynakanahalli, Channapattana - a district, 60 km away from Bengaluru. His entry into the underworld was just an accident in Agni's life. When he came to Bengaluru to pursue his studies, he never imagined he would become a don.

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If everything had happened in his life as per his initial hopes, then he would have become an IAS officer, or he would have started his career as a journalist, after the completion of his education.

But a single incident gave a major turn to his life. In the early 1980s, Kotval Ramachandra and Jayaraj, considered major controllers of Bengaluru's underworld scene, were in tug of war of domination. Agni was then a teenager.

Also read: Me entering politics a bad precedent, former don Agni Shreedhar's interview

Kotwal Ramachandra attacked Sridhar’s brother. Though Kotval Ramachandra was a 'most wanted' criminal, the cops could not take any action against him as he had a good political back up. Hence, the police took a casual attitude when Agni went to the station to lodge a complaint against Ramachandra.

As Agni later claimed, the cops in the station bluntly suggested that Agni himself murder Kotwal Ramachandra, assuring the boy that would not file any complaint. He, along with a few other youngsters, eventually scripted the death of Kotval. This heralded his entry into the world of crime. After Kotwal had been murdered, Jayaraj was also killed a few years later in another gang war. Agni took over the system and ran it for few years before being jailed. Due to a lack of evidence, he was let off.

Also read: 'Rebel' ex-don wants to arm youth with weapons to 'change system'

He has narrated these incidents in his autobiography 'Dadagiriya Dinagalu'. Director KM Chaitanya has made a movie 'Aa Dinagalu' based on this book, which has bagged many awards.

Devaraja Urs was the Chief Minister of Karnataka at that time. Agni alleges that it is Urs who nurtured rowdyism and gave birth to the underworld in Bengaluru.

In 1985, Agni came in contact with P Lankesh, a writer, journalist and progressive thinker. Inspired by this association, after the demise of P Lankesh in 2000, Agni started his own weekly tabloid 'Agni'. He claims that he had fully left behind his gangster days by then, though several cases are still pending against him even today.

However, today he is renowned writer, journalist, film producer and a social activist. He founded 'Karunada Sene' and 'Nyayakkaagi naavu' organizations.

Watch: Journo, ex-don Agni Shridhar suffers heart attack after police raid

Some controversies and social activities of Agni Sridhar:

He protested the moral policing by the Sri Rama Sena against lovers who celebrate Valentine’s Day. In 2009 he announced a helpline to the lovers and assured protection to them if they are attacked by any moral police brigades.

In December 2009 he raged against Janardhana Reddy, the then Minister and called him and his brothers 'dacoits'. At the time, he was one of the few willing to take one the Reddy brothers.

In July 2010, he staged a protest against Sri Sri Ravishankar's Art of Living for encroaching farmers' land to build his Ashram. At that time, Sri Sri Ravishankar lodged a criminal complaint against Agni Sridhar far making threatening calls.

In 2011 he criticized Anna Hazare, who had called for a nationwide protest for the implementation of Jan Lokpal Bill. In his press statement, Agni stated that Anna Hazare’s protest would mislead the nation.

He stood in support of Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao when he was facing corruption allegations in July 2015. In a press meet, Agni he said that it was not fair to exert pressure on Bhaskar Rao to resign when the probe had not even started.

Currently, Agni Sridhar is still running the weekly Kannada tabloid 'Agni'. He has also written a wide range of books on topics like a crime to spirituality. He has also produced movies like Tamassu, Aa Dinagalu, Edegaarike and has won the Karnataka State Film Awards for the year 2010-11.

Read: Update of Bengaluru Shootout: Raid on Agni Sridhar’s house

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