A man stabbed Karnataka Lokayukta P Vishwanatha Shetty multiple times in his office on Wednesday before being overpowered and arrested, officials said.

Justice Shetty, 73, was stabbed in the chest, abdomen, hand and thigh in what police said was an attempt to murder him. He underwent multiple surgeries later in the day at Mallya Hospital. Doctors said his condition was stable.

The Lokayukta collapsed after assailant Tejaraj Sharma attacked him in his chamber in a multi-storeyed building near Vidhana Soudha or the state secretariat, media reports said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited Mallya Hospital and enquired about Shetty’s condition. Sharma, who had filed a complaint with the Lokayukta about not getting a tender for a work he had applied for, went to his chamber and stabbed him at three or four places, he said.

He was told by the Lokayukta office that the case was shut after investigation.

The assailant came to the office saying he wanted to meet Shetty and after entering the chamber, stabbed the Lokayukta with a knife, Siddaramaiah said.

“I was shown the weapon. The knife is big. It looks like he has attempted to murder,” he was quoted as saying. “I wish for his speedy recovery. Such a thing had never happened… I have instructed the DGP to investigate in detail… about his background and other things.”

Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy, citing initial information, had earlier said the assailant had claimed to be an advocate.

Shetty took over as the state Lokayukta in January 2017 succeeding Y Bhaskar Rao, a former high court chief justice.