Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Feb 19: Narayan Poojary (40), a resident of Bambila in Paltadu village near here, was murdered on the night of Thursday February 17, after he got involved in a fight over the right of way.  Locals, Arun Kumar, and Kumar’s father-in-law, Rukmaiah Gowda, have been accused of murdering Poojary.

Kumar and Poojary had a long-standing dispute over right of way, as Kumar passed through Poojary’s house to reach his home. Reportedly, Kumar’s father-in-law and mother-in-law had visited him on Thursday. When Arun was walking towards the town for bringing provisions from the shop for entertaining his guests, Poojary, who was standing near the gate of his home, raised objections to his using this path, and hit Kumar’s shoulder with the sickle he was holding. Arun Kumar snatched away the sickle and hit Poojary’s head with it. Rukmaiah Gowda, who came there after hearing the commotion, and Arun, reportedly hit Poojary, who was trying to get up, with the  help of the sickle in question, and also a wooden club, repeatedly. Kumar later got admitted into a private hospital in the town for treating his injuries.

At around 4.30 am on Friday, the information about the murder was conveyed to the policemen of rural police station here. By the time the policemen visited his home, Poojary had died. The policemen led by circle inspector of police, B K Manjaiah, took into custody Rukmaiah Gowda from Kumar’s home, and Arun Kumar from the hospital. It is learnt that Narayan Poojary was a drunkard, and mentally deranged person. He used to create nuisance in the locality around his home.

Dakshina Kannada superintendent of police (SP), Dr S Subrahmanyeshwar Rao, and assistant SP, Dr Rohini Katoch, visited the spot and guided the operations. A case has been registered in the rural police station here, and the accused are expected to be produced in the court today.