In a tragic and meticulously planned crime, four men have been apprehended for the murder of a 40-year-old farmer from Rattihalli, located in the Haveri district of Karnataka. The motive behind this heinous act was reportedly to acquire the victim’s farmland and claim insurance money. The incident, initially reported as a mere road accident, has now been exposed as a calculated act of deception by the police, who have taken the suspects into custody.
The victim, identified as Basavaraj Puttannanavar, was a loner with no immediate family. This made him an easy target for the perpetrators. Investigations revealed that the accused had already managed to transfer the ownership of Basavaraj’s 12-acre agricultural land into their names. The prime accused, Raghavendra Malagondar, who lived opposite Basavaraj’s residence, had befriended the victim by exploiting his alcohol addiction, providing him with liquor regularly to gain his trust.
Further deepening the conspiracy, the accused had also secured an accident insurance policy for Basavaraj, naming Raghavendra as the sole nominee. Their plan was to benefit from both the land inheritance and the insurance payout upon the farmer’s demise.
On the night of the murder, the four allegedly forced Basavaraj to consume a significant amount of alcohol. They then left him on the roadside and deliberately ran him over with a car traveling at high speed, around 80 km/h, ensuring his death was made to look accidental. A distant relative, unaware of the foul play, filed a report at the Rattihalli police station, initially treating it as a traffic accident.
However, discrepancies in witness statements and forensic evidence soon began to unravel the truth. “The accused were convinced they would inherit the land and insurance proceeds after Basavaraj’s death. However, their own documentation and the insurance claim ultimately exposed their crime,” stated a senior police official.
Haveri Superintendent of Police, Yeshoda Ontigudi, praised the Rattihalli police, led by PSI Ramesh, for their swift and effective resolution of this complex case. The accused have been arrested and are being interrogated. Charges are expected to be filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including murder, cheating, and criminal conspiracy.