Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Mar 8: Karnataka Lokayukta, Justice P Vishwanath Shetty, who was stabbed in his ribs thrice and stomach as well as thigh once each, and who was wounded also in his hand and left side of the chest, was operated by doctors to stop profuse bleeding. After a surgery lasting three hours, the bleeding was successfully stopped, doctors at Vittal Mallya Hospital said.

Diwakar Bhat, doctor of the hospital, said that the Lokayukta is recovering and there is no cause for concern. "As he had undergone bypass heart surgery, multiple stabbing with a knife caused more damage. Being 74-year-old, he is unable to bear too much pain. Being diabetic, the doctors have to be more careful when treating him. Therefore he will be treated in the intensive care unit of the hospital at least for four to five days. His current health condition is stable, and a team of five specialist doctors has been attending to him," Bhat added.

Justice P Vishwanath Shetty

It is gathered that the assailant, Tejas Sharma, had bagged a contract to supply furniture items to some schools and government offices in Tumakuru district. He had supplied certain furniture items to offices. As the quality of furniture provided by him were substandard, the department o public instructions had cancelled his tender. He had approached the Lokayukta with a complaint against the deputy director of public instructions and certain other government officials, complaining that he had suffered loss because of their unjustified action, in March 2017. The complaint had been dismissed as the charges made by Sharma were not backed by evidences and the allegations were not proved. It is said that Tejas had also told others that he had faced injustice at the hands of the Lokayukta.

Tejas Sharma, who claimed in the entry book at the Lokayukta office that he was to meet the investigating officer No. 5, actually had no such work. He directly approached the room of the Lokayukta, waited for an opportunity for 90 minutes and launched the attack when the Lokayukta was alone.

Former Lokayukta, Justice Santosh Hegde, and others have condemned the incident, duly holding security lapse in the office of the Lokayukta as responsible for this development. Chief minister, Siddaramaiah, said that it is clear that the attacker wanted to murder Lokayukta. He said he has ordered detailed investigation into the incident.

Personnel at the Lokayukta office stated that but for the customary coat the Lokayukta was wearing, the nature of injuries to his chest would have been more grave. Although Sharma stabbed Justice Shetty repeatedly, the coat he was wearing succeeded in stopping the fierceness of the attack, they said.

Sharma, it is learnt, had met the Lokaykukta one and half months back and complained about the government officials again. The Lokayukta had asked him not to unnecessarily cast aspersions on the concerned, and sought suitable documentary evidences relating to his allegations so that he can ask the investigating officers to undertake probe again. But Sharma continued to talk loudly and repeat his allegations, at which the Lokaykkta warned him not to behave like this. "I have the power to get you arrested for your arrogance. But I am not taking action on humanitarian grounds. Behave yourself," he had told Sharma.

Chief minister, Siddaramaiah, minister, D K Shivakumar, M B Patil, Kagodu Thimmappa, and H M Revanna, city mayor, Sampath Kumar, former deputy chief minsiter, R Ashok, MP, Shobha Karandlaje, Vatal Nagaraj, retired Lokayukta, Justice Santosh Hegde and several judges of subordinate courts came to the hospital and consoled the family of Justice Vishwanath Shetty.

The Vidhan Soudha police, who have registered case under section 307 of Indian Penal Code, are continuing with inestigation.