Hostel attender shoots dead girl student, injures another

 

Bengaluru: April 2, 2015 (DHNS): A second-year PU student was killed and her hostel-mate grievously injured after the attender of their college reportedly went on a shooting spree at the college hostel in Kadugodi here on Tuesday night.

 

The incident took place around 10:30 pm at the girl’s hostel of Pragathi School and PU College on Whitefield Railway Station Road.

 

Gauthami (17), a resident of Pavagada in the Tumakuru district and an only child, died on the spot as the assailant reportedly shot her in the face from a point-blank range with a 9-mm pistol when she opened the door of her third-floor room. The bullet ripped through her head and neck.

 

Attender Mahesh (38) is then said to have gone to the next room and opened fire at another PU student standing near the door. She was lucky the bullet did not hit her.

 

As the shocked girl collapsed, Mahesh spotted first-year PU student Shirisha (16) sitting on a cot and reportedly shot at her through the partially opened door.

 

Shirisha suffered severe injuries on the face and neck and has been hospitalised. As the other girl got up and closed the door, Mahesh is said to have descended the stairs where he bumped into  another girl. His attempt to attack her reportedly failed as the pistol was not properly loaded. He pushed her down and escaped, said Police Commissioner M N Reddi. After the shooting spree, Mahesh reportedly took shelter at his sister’s house in B Narayanapura. Around 1:30 pm on Wednesday, the police arrested him from there after being tipped off by Thayappa, the owner of the house.

 

Mahesh is a native of Kindalabayalu near Agumbe in the Shivamogga district, and had been living in the City for 15 years. He had joined the institution in 2012.

 

While the motive behind the attack is still not clear, preliminary inquiry has indicated that Mahesh had incurred the wrath of many girls as he had imposed restrictions on them.

 

“He had imposed many restrictions on the girls and always prevented them from doing certain things. He did not like them speaking to others, even the principal. Gauthami, Shirisha and others had objected to his attitude and warned him to mind his business. He plotted the attack as he was humiliated by their remarks in public,” said Reddi.

 

A senior police officer said they were also investigating reports that Mahesh had taken a liking to Gauthami and she had spurned him.
Mahesh has claimed he had purchased the country-made pistol. As his claims are not convincing, the police will probe the source of the weapon, said Reddi.