BJYM leader killed in Koppal, 3 arrested

THree men were arrested after a former Bharatiya Janata company (BJP) Yuva Morcha chairperson was allegedly murdered betimes on wed in Koppal dominion’s Gangavati taluk, police said, adding that the incident was suspected to have stemmed from a long-standing personal dispute.The victim, Venkatesh Kurubara, 34, from Devinagar in Gangavati, was attacked around 2am near a private hospital on Koppal Road, said police, adding that a gang of six men allegedly arrived in a car, rammed his motorcycle, and then assaulted him with machetes and iron rods. He died at the scene from multiple injuries, they said.Venkatesh was returning home after dinner with friends when the group ambushed him, said police. His friend, Ramu, who was with him, said, “All of us were returning together when seven or eight people suddenly came with deadly weapons and attacked us. They threatened us and chased us away.”Police later recovered the Tata Indica allegedly used in the attack. The car, bearing a Bengaluru registration, was found abandoned in Gangavati’s HRS Colony after one of its tyres burst, they said. Investigators seized weapons from the vehicle and deployed fingerprint and dog squads to the scene.Koppal district superintendent of police Dr. Ram L. Arasiddhi said that four of the six suspects have been arrested. “There was animosity between Venkatesh and Ravi from Lingaraj Camp since 2023 (during the former’s tenure as president). In a previous case, Venkatesh had assisted the police in arresting several accused, which created deep resentment. Ravi and his group committed the murder because of this enmity,” he said.The suspects in custody have been identified as Bhima Bharath (23), Salim (21), Vijay (25), and Dhanraj Rao (24). Police said efforts are underway to trace the remaining suspects.Venkatesh’s father, Hampanya Jantakal, said the family had long feared retaliation from Ravi and his associates. “In 2023, my son’s friend Maruti Salaga was fatally attacked by Ravi’s group. My son helped the police identify the attackers, leading to their arrest. Since then, Ravi and his men have harbored a grudge,” he said.One of Venkatesh’s friends, Prajwal, who was with him at the time of the attack, sustained injuries and is being treated at a local hospital, said police.Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra expressed grief over the killing, calling it “heartbreaking.” In a statement, he said, “The news of the tragic demise of Venkatesh, who was the president of the Yuva Morcha in Gangavati taluk, is deeply saddening. I express my condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace.”A case has been registered by the victim’s father, Hampanya Jantakal (55), at the Gangavati Town Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), said police.