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35-year-old man hacked to death in Kushtagi bakery, 7 held: Police
The victim was attacked with machetes by a group of assailants who had allegedly been waiting for him to return from a hospital visit
A 35-year-old man was brutally murdered inside a bakery in Tavargera town of Kushtagi taluk of Koppal District in Karnataka late on Saturday night, in what police say was the culmination of a decades-old family feud intensified by a recent land dispute and political rivalry.
The victim, identified as Channappa Husenappa Narinhal, was attacked with machetes by a group of assailants who had allegedly been waiting for him to return from a hospital visit. As he reached the Sindhanur Cross on his motorbike, the group ambushed him, forcing him to flee into a nearby bakery in a desperate attempt to save his life.
Superintendent of police Dr Ram Arasiddi confirmed that seven suspects have been arrested in connection with the case. “The arrested identified as Ravi Narinhal, B Pradeep, M R Manjunath, Nagaraj Narinhal, K Manjunath, B K Gautam, and M Gurupadamma,” he said, adding that two machetes used in the attack have been recovered as evidence.
“Two persons were arrested on the day of the murder, and five more were taken into custody on Sunday night,” he said. Police are now searching for three more suspects—Pramod, Janardhan, and Neelakanta—who are currently absconding.
A case has been registered under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway.
Despite his pleas for mercy, the attackers stormed into the bakery and continued the assault in full public view. According to police, the attackers then dragged Channappa out onto the street and killed him there. The incident has sent shockwaves across Tavargera and Kushtagi taluk, with locals describing the act as chillingly premeditated.
Initial investigations suggest that the murder is the outcome of a bitter rivalry between the families of Channappa Narinhal and Shyamanna Narinhal, which dates back nearly 20 years. However, tensions reportedly escalated further during recent municipal elections when a member of Shyamanna’s family contested, while Channappa backed their political opponent from the Bisti family—who ultimately won. This move is believed to have further strained relations.
The rivalry deepened over a contentious 2.5-acre plot of land claimed by Channappa’s family. Police said that the Shyamanna family had attempted to sell the disputed property, prompting Channappa to secure a court stay order to stop the transaction. The move is suspected to have intensified hostilities, leading to the fatal attack.
