55-year-old killed in revenge attack in Pandavapura

Mandya: In a chilling act of revenge, a 55-year-old man was brutally murdered on Tuesday morning at the Bellale Highway Road in Pandavapura taluk. The victim, Narasimhegowda, a resident of Manikyanahalli, was allegedly attacked and killed by two fellow villagers—Venkatesh, 65, and Manjunath, 38.

Police said the incident is believed to be an act of retaliation linked to the earlier murder of schoolteacher Deepika V Lokesh, 28, whose body was found in Jan 2024 at the foot of the Yoganarasimhaswamy hill. Her boyfriend, Nitish, 22,—the son of the slain Narasimhegowda—was arrested for the crime and was recently released on bail.

Police said that Venkatesh, Deepika's grieving father, harboured resentment since Nitish's release and was reportedly seeking revenge. Unable to reach Nitish, who remained indoors out of fear, the accused allegedly turned their anger towards his father.

On Tuesday morning, while Narasimhegowda was walking near Ballale, he was reportedly confronted by Venkatesh and Manjunath and killed on the spot. According to eyewitnesses and police sources, Venkatesh shouted, "After getting my daughter killed, now you're arranging your daughter's marriage," before the fatal attack. Narasimhegowda's daughter was due to be married next week.

After the incident, the Melukote police, led by inspector Ashok Kumar, acted swiftly. Within two hours, Venkatesh was apprehended in Chinkurli, approximately 8 km from the crime scene, while attempting to flee on a bike. Manjunath, who sustained injuries during the attack, was taken to the trauma care centre in Mysuru. Police said this is the second murder case of the accused Venkatesh.

Nitish, speaking to media after the incident, denied any wrongdoing and appealed for justice. "I have not done anything wrong," he said. "Our father deserves justice for his brutal killing. We lived peacefully but were under constant pressure and surveillance. My sister's wedding was set for next week, and now our family is shattered." Melukote Police registered a case and launched a detailed investigation into the incident.