Bengaluru medical shop owner hacked to death had been asked to stay alert

Investigators suspected that his association with the accused in Shabbir’s murder may have made him a target in the rivalry between the two groups.

The police had also asked Suhail to come to the station so they could speak to him about the concerns. He declined, saying he had nothing to do with Shabbir’s murder, sources said.

The Bengaluru police had arrested six people in connection with the murder – Bandepalya rowdy-sheeter Adil Akmal and his associates Arbaz, Shaan, Yasin, Rafiullah and Syed Farhan.

The investigation into Suhail’s murder led the police to an arms maker, Syed Zeeshan, who was nabbed after a police encounter on August 28. Zeeshan allegedly attacked a constable with a sharp-edged weapon and threw chilli powder at the police team when they attempted to apprehend him. He was subsequently shot in the leg.

Police have alleged that Zeeshan had sharpened the machetes used in Suhail’s murder.

Patrolling stepped up in Bandepalya, Madiwala

Meanwhile, the police have stepped up patrolling and raids in Bandepalya and Madiwala amid concerns of further violence between the rival groups, even as the investigators arrested two men on September 1 for allegedly brandishing weapons in public to avenge Suhail’s killing.

One of those arrested is a relative of Suhail, the police said.

Dedicated anti-rowdy squads have also been set up at police-station level across Bengaluru to monitor habitual offenders and prevent organised criminal activity, following a statewide directive issued by the Director and Inspector General of Police, Karnataka, M A Saleem, in June 2026.