Cong leader murdered in Belthangady

BELTHANGADY : Vidyadhar Jain (32), Rayi Gram Panchayat member in Bantwal taluk, was brutally hacked to death by a gang of assailants at Padangadi near Guruvauyanakere recently, reportedly over a previous enmity.
Jain, an active Congress worker, was on his way to Padangadi from Guruvayanakere in his bike along with his friend Iqbal, when the gang abused him and then wielded weapons at him. Though both abandoned their bike and fled, the gang chased them. Iqbal however was successful in entering the house of a relative located nearby, but Vidyadhar fell victim to the assailants. Hailing from Venoor, Vidyadhar was residing in Rayi since the past four years and had identified himself with one faction of the Congress.
Police records now reveal that even he was a rowdy with ten cases pending against him in various police stations including Venoor, Bantwal town and rural stations and Bajpe stations. He was married just four years ago and was the father of a two year old child.
Reports indicate that Vidyadhar had identified himself with the Saiprasad Alva faction in Padangadi, which was dead against another faction led by Hrishikesh Jain. It has been gathered that the Hrishikesh Jain faction finished him off on gathering information that Alva faction was hatching a conspiracy to murder Hrishikesh Jain.
Police are in search of the accused who have been identified as Pradeep, Sunil, Hitesh, Prashanth, Satish, Hrishikesh and Anil.