Bangalore : Political rivalry appears to be the reason behind the brutal daylight murder of Congress Corporator S Nataraj with the city police arresting nine people in connection with the murder.

City Police Commissioner Jyotiprakash Mirji addressing a press conference here today said a gang led by Murugan, an unsuccessful Janata Dal (Secular) candidate in the corporation elections two years ago, was the brain behind the murder that took place on October 1 with Nataraj attacked with chopper and other deadly weapons in one of the busy thoroughfares of the city.

According to the confessional statement given by Murugan, the slain corporator had been severely harassing him and his supporters.

The gang leaders decided to eliminate Nataraj as the harassment kept growing. The trio hired one Girish and gave a Rs 25 lakh ‘supari’ to kill Nataraj, Mr Mirji said.

Girish, who had received Rs five lakh as advance, in turn hired six others and set them out to kill the corporator. After a couple of aborted attempts, they killed him.

Six persons including Vijaya Kumar, B C Mohana, V Srinivasa and D R Mahesh were involved in the attack, while two others were absconding.

”None of the arrested have a criminal past. The killing was planned in a systematic way,” the Commissioner said.

The other arrested were identified as R Murugan, V Mani, D R Girish, A Paul and Ashoka.