Police flummoxed by loose ends in shootout on Rikki Rai 

Muthappa Rai's son Rikki Rai targeted in shooting near Bidadi farmhouse, investigation reveals possible insider involvement.

Ramanagara district police investigating the shooting of the late Muthappa Rai’s son Rikki Rai in Bidadi in the wee hours of Saturday that left him injured, are flummoxed by several loose ends in the case, sources said.

The attack took place just a few metres away from Muthappa Rai’s Bidadi farmhouse as the car exited from there towards Bengaluru. The hitman seems to have been waiting for the car to come out and took aim as it exited the gate.

First, the hitman has shot at the car from the driver’s side, knowing pretty well it will not directly hit Rikki Rai, a senior official pointed out. 

As per the complaint of Rikki Rai’s driver, they first left the farmhouse at 11 p.m., and just a few metres away from the gate, they heard a loud sound and stopped the car. He got down to check the car’s tyres and when he found everything was intact, he got into the car and drove further.

“If this incident was indeed the hitman shooting at the car and he missed it, it is intriguing as to why he did not shoot when the driver got down from the car and it was not moving,” the official said.

Further, the complaint says that after going till Bidadi Railway Gate, Rikki Rai claimed to have forgotten his wallet and returned to the farmhouse to only leave the house again at 12.50 a.m. A few metres away, exactly where they had heard a loud sound earlier, the car came under fire, the driver claims.

“Even if the first attempt failed, since the car moved away and the hitman had no idea it would come back, he should have left the spot. How come he was there at the same spot, hours later? This could also mean he had live updates of Rikki Rai’s movements,” the official said. Police are also probing possible insider involvement, sources said.