The body of Congress leader and RTI activist Vasudeva Adiga (45), who had been abducted on January 7, was found in a pond on Saturday.
Jayant Shetty, police officer at Kadur police station, told The Hindu that the police got information about a body floating in the Madagadakere pond in Yemmedodi village, about 20 km from Kadur town in Chikmagalur district, late on Friday. They reached the spot on Saturday morning.
The decomposed body was found with hands and legs tied, and weighed down by a rock.
After conducting post-mortem, it was taken to McGann Hospital in Shimoga for further examination and forensic opinion, Mr. Shetty said.
According to M.B. Boralingaiah, Superintendent of Police, Udupi district, Mr. Adiga was strangulated to death, and then tied up and thrown into the pond.
Police investigation had indicated that he was killed late on January 7 or early on January 8, he said.
The earlier abduction case would now be converted into one of abduction and murder, Mr. Boralingaiah added.
Kidnapped
Mr. Adiga, who was general secretary of the Kota block Congress committee, left home at Vandur village on his motorcycle on January 7, and went missing. His pen was found near his neighbour Ramesh Bayari’s house, and his motorcycle and footwear near Goliangadi village of Udupi district on January 8. Two days later, his mobile phone was found near Avarse village.
The leader’s mother, Shringeshwari Adiga, had lodged a complaint of abduction with the intent of murder at the Shankaranarayana police station.
The police are investigating the case considering both Mr. Adiga’s role as an RTI activist, as well as his involvement in a long-running land dispute.
The land dispute with his neighbours Mr. Bayari, Krishna Murthy and Shankaranarayana Bayari, which has gone on for several years, is in court.
As an RTI activist, he had sought information from many government departments.
