Police: 56-year-old killed, wife attacked at their farmhouse

A 56-year-old man was killed and his wife sustained injuries when they were brutally attacked at their farmhouse in Hanakona village, Karwar taluk during the early hours of Sunday, police said

A 56-year-old man was killed and his wife sustained injuries when they were brutally attacked at their farmhouse in Hanakona village, Karwar taluk during the early hours of Sunday, police said.

A 56-year-old man was killed and his wife sustained injuries when they were brutally attacked at their farmhouse in Hanakona village (File photo)

Uttara Kannada district superintendent of police (SP) M Narayan said that the couple were originally from Hanakona village in Karwar district but were settled in Pune for past several years.

The deceased was identified as Vinayak Nayak, a businessman in Pune, and his wife, Vaishali.

“While Vinayak died during the attack, Vaishali suffered severe injuries. She is currently being treated at the government hospital in Karwar town,” he said.

He further said that the police were informed about the incident by the neighbours. “Upon receiving the message, we reached the house and found Vinayak Nayak deceased and his wife critical. She was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment,” he said.

He further said that the attackers used sharp weapons and the identity of the attackers and the motive behind the crime remain unclear. Narayan stated that several police teams have been formed to track down the culprits.

“The reason for the attack is not yet known, but we have initiated multiple teams to catch the perpetrators. We suspect that the attackers may have fled towards Goa, Hubballi-Dharwad, or Belagavi districts, so vehicle checks are being conducted along the borders to prevent their escape,” he added.

The officer further said that the couple had come to their native village to attend the Satteri Devi fair and had been staying at their farmhouse for about a week.

“Since the Satteri Devi fair was held from Tuesday to Thursday last week, it is likely that they arrived in Hanakona just before the event. However, because they rarely visited the village, no one in the area was aware of their presence,” he said.

He further said that the police have reached out to Pune police for cooperation in gathering more information about Nayak’s background.

“We are seeking the help of Pune police to obtain details about Vinayak’s business dealings and background to help in our investigation. These details will assist us in rounding up the murderers quickly,” he said.

Kadra police station inspector Prakash Devadiga also spoke about potential motives for the attack.

He said that the incident could be linked to a business rivalry in Maharashtra.

“Since the couple visited their native village rarely, perhaps once or twice a year, we suspect the attack might be connected to some business rivalry in Pune. However, we are also gathering information from their relatives in Uttara Kannada district to ensure we consider all possible motives,” he said.

Devadiga further said: “Cases under BNS Sections 103 (Murder), 109 (i) (attempt to murder) have been registered in the Chintakula police station.”