A police head constable and his brother allegedly hired ‘supari’ (contract) killers to murder their father, a retired police official, over a property dispute, at Bhogi in Shikaripur taluk of Shivamogga district in Karnataka.
Shikaripur police solved the murder of Nagendrappa, 68, which was reported on November 29. They arrested five persons, including the victim’s sons Manjunath, 42, a driver at Shiralakoppa, and Umesh, 40, a police head constable with KSRP 4th Battallion in Bengaluru.
The alleged ‘supari’ killers were arrested on December 10. They are Rizwan, 24, of Bhogi village, Habeebulla, 28, and Suhail Pasha, 30, residents of Shikaripur town. According to the police, the brothers hired the trio to murder their father for a ‘supari’ (contract) of ₹5 lakh.
Sons feared loss of control over property
Nagendrappa possessed five-and-a-half acres of land at Bhogi village in Shikaripur taluk. He retired as assistant reserve sub-inspector (ARSI) in 2015. His wife Eeramma passed away in May 2020. In November 2021, he re-married and now has a child with his second wife.
Manjunath and Umesh feared losing their father’s property and wanted control of the land. However, Nagendrappa refused to part with the property.
Conspiracy to murder
The brothers allegedly hatched a conspiracy to murder their father with the help of ‘supari killers’. The ‘supari killers’ attempted to murder Nagendrappa by causing a road accident. On November 9, Nagendrappa was riding his bike when he was hit by a goods vehicle near Kuskur village. However, he survived with minor injuries.
Later, on November 29, the alleged hired killers kidnapped Nagendrappa and forced him to consume poison. They disposed off the body by the roadside near Kuskur village.
A police team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Shivanand N. Madarkhandi, Inspector Lakshman J., Sub-Inspector Manjunath N. Kuri investigated the case under the guidance of Shivamogga Superintendent of Police G.K. Mithun Kumar and Additional Superintendent of Police Vikram Amte.
