Page 10: Cops examining CCTV footage
In a major security lapse at the Lokayukta building on Wednesday, Lokayukta Justice P. Vishwanath Shetty, 74, was repeatedly stabbed inside his office by a frustrated complainant after Justice Shetty told him that his corruption complaint against some government officials had been closed.
“The attacker who had a knife with him managed to bypass the metal detector easily as it was defunct. There was no security check or frisking either, which further helped the attacker reach Justice Shetty’s office and attack him. It’s a clear case of a security lapse,” a senior police officer said.
A police source said that Tejraj lost temper after Justice Shetty told him that his case was shut which is when he pulled out a knife and started attacking the Lokayukta.
It happened within seconds and later the attacker surrendered after security officials with guns entered the room. “It was as if he had a grudge against the Lokayukta and he wanted to take revenge for not taking up his complaint seriously,” an official said.
At the time of going to the press, the police were still interrogating Tejraj at the Vidhan Soudha police station to ascertain the exact reason for the attack. The attacker was also taken to the Bowring Hospital for a check-up. Given the lack of security at the Vidhana Soudha police station, the accused maybe lodged at CUbbon Park police staTIon overnight, sources said.
The police have obtained the CCTV footage from the building and inside the office of the Lokayukta and are examining the footage to ascertain what happened inside the room.