Cong leader Yadgiri shot at for failing to pay commission to attacker

Hyderabad: Rowdy sheeter Dakkuri Babu attempted to kill local Congress leader D. Yadgiri at Bowenpally here on Saturday because the politician had failed to pay him his commission in a land settlement deal. The commission was worth several lakhs of rupees, police said.

The North zone police has formed special teams to hunt down Babu, who was earlier involved in two murders and two dacoity attempts in the city, and his associate, who fired at Mr Yadgiri when he was coming out his house on Saturday. Sources said that a suspect was already in police custody.

The duo allegedly shot at Mr Yadgiri thrice; two bullets grazed him while the third one did not hit him. Mr Yadgiri succeeded in grabbing the firearm and escaping into a local hospital.

“Mr Yadgiri and the suspect Babu were quite close to each other, and Mr Yadgiri owed him a great deal of money as per their deal. Mr Yadgiri refused to pay up what was due. We suspect that Mr Yadgiri’s attitude angered Babu who decided to eliminate him,” said a senior official from the North Zone police.

Babu was earlier arrested in two murder cases, a few property offences and attempts at dacoity.

 “The Alwal police had also opened a rowdy sheet on him,” said the official.

Mr Yadgiri, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital after the attack, sought police protection since he feared for his life. “I am not a controversial person and I do not have enmity towards anyone. Someone has hatched a plan to kill me. Police should find and arrest the person,” he said.

Mr Yadgiri claimed that his acquaintance’s son-in-law had come to demand money from him. Police should investigate that, he said. He told newsmen that he was not involved in any illegal activities and that he did not owe anybody any money.