8 people, including 2 minors held in connection with murder of real estate bizman near Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): Eight people, including two minors, were held in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a real estate businessman on the outskirts of the city, police said on Thursday.
The deceased, identified as Gopal alias Gopi, a resident of Honnakalasapura village in Anekal taluk on the outskirts of Bengaluru City, was in his late 30s. He was engaged in real estate and financial business, they said.
Police had earlier arrested Mohan Babu, alleged to be the main conspirator behind the killing. He apparently believed that Gopal had performed black magic to sabotage his buisness.
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"We have nabbed eight people in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Gopal from their hideout in Krishnagiri (Tamil Nadu). Among them, two are minors. Efforts are being made to nab others accomplices who were also part of the conspiracy," a senior police officer said.
The case is currently being investigated by the CID team.
According to police, on Sunday, Gopal and his friend Satish were travelling in a car from Attibele towards Anekal when the incident occurred near Karpur Gate in Anekal taluk.
The assailants, who had allegedly planned the abduction, rammed the car with another vehicle to stop it.
The miscreants then allegedly sprayed a substance on Gopal and forcibly kidnapped him before fleeing the spot in another car, a senior police officer said.
Satish, who was also sprayed by the kidnappers, managed to alert Gopal's family members about the incident. The family subsequently informed the police.
"During preliminary investigation, it was found that Gopal and Mohan were both from Kalasapura village in Chikkamagaluru district and had been at loggerheads for about 10-12 years. Earlier, Gopal used to work under Mohan in real estate activities, including arranging documents and coordinating with departments as well as identifying buyers," the officer said.
Later, Gopal started working independently in the same field, which allegedly created hostility as Mohan felt Gopal was becoming a strong competitor in his business, he added.
During questioning, Mohan also claimed that Gopal had been performing black magic against him and was responsible for his ill health, though police said the truth will emerge only after deeper investigation.
Meanwhile, on Monday morning, Gopal's body was found in Hosur in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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