Bengaluru, 29 Oct

A 24-year-old gig worker was killed and his friend injured after a speeding car rammed into their two-wheeler here in what police said was "a deliberate act of revenge" on Wednesday.

A husband-wife duo have been arrested in connection with the incident, which occurred on 25 October, post-11.30pm, under the Puttenahalli police station limits, they said.

According to police, the two-wheeler was hit from behind by a car that initially sped away from the scene. While the rider, Darshan, died on the spot, his friend and pillion rider, Varun, 24, sustained injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Initially, the JP Nagar Traffic Police registered a case of accidental death.

However, after examining CCTV footage, investigators found that the car had deliberately chased and rammed the two-wheeler, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Lokesh Jagalasar said.

"Preliminary inquiry revealed that the two-wheeler riders had earlier brushed against the car, breaking its side mirror. Enraged, the driver reversed his vehicle, followed them, and deliberately rammed into it, leading to the rider’s death," the DCP said.

The accused, a physical education teacher, allegedly returned to the spot with his wife after the incident, wearing masks to conceal their identities. They collected broken parts of their vehicle from the scene in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence, police said.

A case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for murder and destruction of evidence has been registered at the Puttenahalli police station.

Both the husband and wife have been arrested, officials added.