A man was allegedly murdered by his wife's father and other relatives at Yermarus, about 5 kms from Raichur, late on Sunday night for marrying outside his caste.
The deceased has been identified as Anand Sagar (28), a native of Yermarus.
According to the villagers as well as police, Anand Sagar, who belonged to Uppar community and Basavarajeshwari, a Lingayat girl from the same village, fell in love and married in November last year, against the wishes of their parents.
Since there was strong opposition to the marriage and the couple was facing threats from girl's parents, they relocated to Ballari soon after the wedding.
"Leaving behind his wife in Ballari, Anand Sagar came to Yermarus to meet his parents when Basavarajeshwari's father, Virupakshappa Gowda and others attacked him off Raichur-Hyderabad road at Yermarus at about 10 p.m. on Sunday. They were armed with cudgels and stones. The accused smashed his head and killed him on-the-spot. All the accused are absconding. A case has been registered with Raichur Rural police station and efforts are on to nab them," K. Basavaraj, Circle Inspector attached to Raichur West Circle, told The Hindu on Monday morning.
The source in the Police Department revealed that Anand Sagar had, soon after his marriage, approached the then Raichur Superintendent of Police M.N. Nagaraj and orally sought his help against the threats that he and his wife were facing from the wife's parents. The officer in turn had reportedly tried to convince the girl's parents about the mutually consented and legally valid marriage and warned them not to disturb the newly wedded couple in anyway.
