Police suspect personal rivalry; four accused detained, search on for others involved in the attack
Koppal
A former local functionary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) was brutally killed in a suspected case of personal enmity in Gangavati taluk of Karnataka’s Koppal district early Wednesday, police said.
The victim, identified as Venkatesh, was returning home on a two-wheeler with a friend after visiting an acquaintance when a group of around five to six assailants intercepted them near Gangavati. The attackers, who arrived in a car, reportedly assaulted Venkatesh with machetes before fleeing the scene. His friend managed to escape unharmed and alerted locals.
Venkatesh was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries during treatment, a senior police officer confirmed. Based on a complaint filed by his family, police registered a case of murder and have already detained four suspects. “Efforts are on to trace and arrest the remaining accused,” said Koppal Superintendent of Police Ram L. Arasiddi.
Preliminary investigations suggest personal rivalry as the motive behind the attack, though officials said other angles are being probed.
Reacting to the incident, Karnataka BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra expressed deep sorrow over the killing. “The news of Venkatesh’s tragic death is deeply saddening. I offer my condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Further investigation into the murder is underway.
