Stories
In-depth coverage of developing news stories
Nejar Quadruple Murder Case
Three years after the horrific Nejar quadruple murder that shook coastal Karnataka, the trial continues in the Udupi District and Sessions Court. On November 12, 2023, Haseena (46) and her three children—Afnan (23), Aynaz (21), and Asim (12)—were fatally stabbed inside their residence in Tripti Layout, Nejar, while her mother-in-law, Hajira, narrowly survived critical injuries. Police swiftly arrested former Air India Express cabin crew member Praveen Arun Chougule, who allegedly targeted his colleague Aynaz out of personal animosity and killed the others when they intervened. Backed by a massive 2,202-page chargesheet and statements from over 240 witnesses, the prosecution continues to press for justice as the local community awaits a final verdict.
Pradeep Poojary suicide case
Pradeep Poojary (27), a resident of Perdur in Udupi, died by suicide at the Ajjarkad District Hospital on October 30, 2026, following an assault linked to ongoing criminal cases against him. According to a clarification issued by Udupi Superintendent of Police (SP) Hariram Shankar, Poojary was out on bail after being chargesheeted in two separate November 2025 cases for allegedly issuing death threats and sexually assaulting a young woman. The SP stated that on October 28, Poojary allegedly attacked the survivor again outside her residence and threw chilli powder at her mother when she intervened, prompting the woman's relatives to assault him in retaliation. Admitted to the hospital for injuries, Poojary took his own life in the washroom two days later, leading Udupi Town Police to register an abetment to suicide case under BNS Sections 108 and 190 based on his brother's complaint. Authorities have since arrested four prime suspects involved in the retaliatory attack, attached the Hiriyadka PSI to the DIG office pending inquiry, and suspended two hospital security personnel for alleged dereliction of duty.
David D'Souza Murder Case
David D'Souza, a local contractor and former president of the Mudarangadi Gram Panchayat in Udupi district, was shot dead in broad daylight outside his commercial complex in Shirva. The attack was carried out by motorcycle-borne assailants. Investigations revealed that the murder was a planned contract killing triggered by financial disputes and alleged ties to underworld operations. Several key suspects and shooters were subsequently arrested, and due to the involvement of organized crime networks, authorities invoked the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA).
Kundapura Shootout Murder Case
on July 30, 2026, at around 11:45 PM, the petitioner Derick Crasta allegedly phoned Ivan Richard Mascarenhas over a financial dispute involving pending chit-fund transactions. Following a heated argument, Crasta challenged Ivan to meet him alone in Kundapura. Subsequently, at 1:30 AM on July 31, Crasta shared his live location. When Ivan arrived in his car and parked opposite the Holy Rosary Church on Church Road, Crasta arrived at around 3:15 AM in a dark red Mahindra Thar, stepped out, shot Ivan below the waist with a firearm, and fled the scene. Ivan suffered severe gunshot injuries and died on the spot due to massive bleeding.