RAICHUR: In a shocking and tragic incident, a 42-year-old former Gram Panchayat president was brutally beaten to death following a petty dispute over a mere Rs 10 at an Indian Oil petrol pump near Hunchinala Camp in Karnataka’s Raichur district. The victim, identified as Meghnath (42), succumbed to severe head injuries at a local hospital. The Idapanur police have swiftly arrested six accused in connection with the murder.

The Genesis of the Fight:

The incident occurred on the night of Wednesday, July 8. According to senior police officials, the altercation began when Meghnath’s friend, Mahesh, purchased fuel in a bottle at the Hunchinala petrol pump. A heated argument erupted between Mahesh and the petrol pump attendant, Ravi, over a shortfall of just Rs 10 in the cash payment. Seeing the argument escalate out of control, Meghnath and another companion, Nagaraj, stepped in to pacify both sides and defuse the situation.

Fatal Assault with Wooden Logs:

However, their peaceful intervention enraged the fuel station employees and their associates gathered at the spot. Confronting the peacemakers, the accused allegedly yelled, “Why are you interfering in our fight? You’ve done too much, we won’t let you go today.” Subsequently, accused Narasimha and Mareppa allegedly abused Meghnath with caste-related slurs before physical violence erupted.

The confrontation rapidly escalated when Veeresh allegedly struck Meghnath squarely on the head with a heavy wooden log. Simultaneously, the fuel pump employee Ravi also picked up a wooden log and smashed it onto Meghnath’s head, while Narasimha struck him violently on the back. The combined impact caused Meghnath to collapse onto the ground completely unconscious. The remaining accused also assaulted Mahesh and Nagaraj, who sustained injuries while attempting to shield their friend.

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Hospitalization and Arrests:

The critically injured Meghnath was rushed to a hospital in Raichur, where doctors performed emergency neurosurgery on Thursday morning. Despite medical efforts, he failed to regain consciousness and passed away at around 8:25 am on July 9. The entire horrifying assault was clearly captured on the CCTV cameras installed at the fuel station.

Based on a detailed complaint filed by the victim’s grieving wife, the Idapanur police launched an immediate manhunt and arrested all six accused, identified as Ravi, Veeresh, Narasimha, Mareppa, Ramesh, and Praveen. They have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for murder, alongside provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

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