Former Tumakuru mayor hacked to death by gang

A former mayor and JDs corporator was hacked to death by a gang in full public view at a busy locality of Tumakuru town Sunday, police said.

Ravi Kumar, who had a criminal past, was having tea with his friend in Batawadi area when two people came and threw chilli powder on their face.

Kumar tried to flee the spot, but soon five other people surrounded him and attacked him with machetes and sharp-edged weapons, killing him on the spot, police said.

Even as the people present in the area were struck by shock, the gang fled the scene.

The gangster-turned politician was a former mayor of Tumakuru Corporation and had been elected as a corporators in the recent local body elections.

Police said several criminal cases were pending against him.

Police said they suspected old rivalry to be motive behind Kumar's killing, adding a manhunt had been launched to track the assailants.