Two Bangalore-based sharp-shooters on a mission to murder three businessmen landed behind bars on Thursday.

Trained sharp-shooters Sachin Mukund Nayar (22) from Kerala, residing in Yelahanka and Vinod Kumar from Kammanahalli of Bangalore city, were nabbed red-handed as they were planning their moves in a hotel room in Attavar.

The police seized a mobile phone and a USA- made 9 mm pistol with six catridges. Preliminary investigations revealed that the duo landed at Ankola in Karwar district to carry out an attack on a Yellapur-based entrepreneur Shree Rama Hebbar on December 31.

The duo intended to use 'gift box trick’ to divert the business - man’s attention and shoot him at point blank range, District Superintendent B Sateesh Kumar said.

But the businessman’s absence left the shooters with no option but to go to Mangalore and carry out an attack on two other targets. Their plan to eliminate Sujith Alva and Ananthu was foiled by the police.

The police suspect that both of them received logistics support to carry out their attacks from Lokesh Bangera and Harish, who were accused in the murder of one Prithvipal Rai in Konaje in 2002. Both Lokesh and Harish are at large.

Edited and Published By Raj Francis Pereira