Family violence has erupted in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district with a 60-year-old man being murdered by his son over agricultural land. It took place in Kalkunte village under Bharamasagara Hobli limits and sent shock waves through the local community.
The deceased man is Chandrappa (60) from Kalkunte village. According to initial information, the murder was committed by his son, Prasanna, over the long-standing battles over ownership and cultivation rights of a 5-acre piece of land.
Police sources say tensions have been brewing within the family about the property for some time. Chandrappa arrived at the farmland to start sowing. Prasanna warned his father against cultivating the land, and there were repeated arguments between the two, investigators have said.
Chandrappa later went to the disputed land on the day of the incident despite opposition. There was an argument on the site, and Prasanna is said to have attacked his father with a wooden club. Chandrappa suffered serious injuries and died before medical help could arrive at the site.
Even more serious was Chandrappa’s brother Karabasappa, who might have helped in orchestrating the crime. Police are investigating whether he was behind it and whether he encouraged or influenced the accused to carry out the murder. But police have not ruled him out and are investigating.
The brutal killing has left the community in Kalkunte village shocked. It was a tragedy of an overrunning property dispute’s magnitude, they said. Family and villagers were gathered on the scene shortly after, and police were on their way to secure the area and conduct an investigation.
Following the killing, senior police officers visited the scene to view the crime scene. Chitradurga Superintendent of Police Ranjit Kumar Bandaru visited it with members of the Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) team and forensic analysts. Evidence was gathered from the scene, and witnesses' and family members’ statements were taken to establish the facts of the killing.
The body of Chandrappa was later shifted for post-mortem examination, which will give more details about the nature of the injuries and the cause of death.
A case has been registered at Bharamasagara Police Station. The cause of the murder and possible conspiracy or instigation is under investigation.
Property disputes continue to be one of the main causes of violent crimes in rural India and often involve family members. Such disputes can escalate into a very serious conflict with catastrophic consequences if left unresolved.
Chandrappa’s tragic death has once again made it clear that family property disputes should be resolved peacefully, and legal action should be taken very early in the course of the investigation so that conflicts don’t escalate into violence.
