Bengaluru: A 51-year-old businessman was shot dead by two unidentified men outside his residence in Sanjaynagar on Sunday night. Two assailants on a bike fired six rounds at him and fled the scene, taking advantage of the Diwali cracker bursts that drowned the noise of gunfire. Police suspect financial dispute as motive for the murder.

The victim, Paruchuri Surendra Kumar, was into real estate and financing business. He was also running a security agency and charitable trust. Though Surendra hailed from Andhra Pradesh, he had settled in Bengaluru in 2000.

A police officer said the incident took place around 10.15pm. Surendra had just returned home from his farmhouse near Devanahalli. He was seated next to the driver, while his personal secretary Deepankar Saikia was in the rear seat. As he got down from his Maruti Eco car, two men wearing masks shot at him from close range. Surendra was rushed to a private hospital and later referred to MS Ramaiah Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

Saikia alerted family members, who then informed the police. Though Surendra always carried a licensed gun, that night it was kept in a briefcase on the rear seat.

Preliminary investigations indicated a well-planned murder, said police sources, adding Surendra appeared to be under the killers’ radar for some days. When assailants opened fire, no one heard the sound due to bursting of crackers. However, movements of the accused were caught by CCTV cameras installed in a jewellery shop and two other shops in the locality.

“We are yet to identify them and their vehicle number. They appear to have followed Surendra from Hebbal and waited till he got down to open fire at him. However, others in the car suffered no injuries. They too couldn’t identify the killers who were wearing masks and monkey caps. Three special teams have been formed to nab the killers,” the officer said.