A 20-year-old man was murdered by a gang of four people during a procession for Ganesh Visarjan (immersion), in Karnataka’s Belagavi, said police on Sunday.
The incident took place in Belagavi’s Mugalihal village on Saturday night, said police. The victim, identified as Arjungouda Patil, was stabbed over an issue involving a college girl, said police.
Police said that the accused, identified as Uday Bandrolli (21), Subhash Sollannavar (21), Vithal Meesi(20) and a minor, knew the victim as they all studied in a first grade college in Yaragatti town.
One of the accused, Uday Bandrolli, who had kept a knife hidden in his shirt attacked Patil and stabbed him multiple times, said the police. Soon after the incident, all four fled from the crime spot but were caught later, said police.
Patil and one of the accused, Subhash Sollannavar , were involved in a tussle over a girl who was also studying with them and was allegedly close friends with the victim, said police. The accused also liked the girl and had earlier warned Patil of dire consequences if he continued to remain in contact with the girl, said police.
“The murder was a consequence of personal rivalry and no other angle is involved as of now, “ said a police official, who did not want to be named.
{{/usCountry}}“The murder was a consequence of personal rivalry and no other angle is involved as of now, “ said a police official, who did not want to be named.
{{/usCountry}}After completion of all the rituals, the idol installed in Mugalihal village was taken for immersion around 10pm to the lake outside the village during which the accused picked a fight with Patil and hacked him to death, said police.
Two police constables deployed for the procession rushed Patil to district hospital to Belagavi, however, he died during treatment, said police. The doctors in Belagavi said that the patient had a deep injury in the chest and did not survive due to the excessive bleeding.
Police said the accused confessed to the crime. The three adult accused were sent to Belagavi Hindalaga jail and minor boy was send to a remand home, said police. A case under Sections 320 of the Indian Penal Code was registered at Muragod police station.