Shivamogga shocker: They murdered Manjunath and put the blame on PFI

[email protected] (CD Network)
April 5, 2015

Shivamogga/Bengaluru, Apr 5: Shivamogga Superintendent of Police, Ravi D Channannavar, has clarified that the murder of Manjunath (33) on February 20 had nothing to do with the communal clash that took place on February 19 during the Unity March taken out by Popular Front of India in the city.

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It may be recalled here that the Sangh Parivar leaders had held PFI activists responsible for murder. During the funeral procession of Vishwanath Shetty, who was also murdered in the wake of communal violence triggered by Sangh Parivar miscreants in Shivamogga, BJP leaders had threatened to retaliate for both the murders. The funeral procession had exacerbated communal violence.

“Six persons have been arrested in connection with the murder of Manjunath. The sister of the deceased had lodged a complaint in Tunganagar police station on February 21 that the murder of his brother was communally motivated. But, the investigation has revealed that a property dispute was the reason behind the murder. The complainant is the fourth accused in the case,” Channannavar said.

The arrested have been identified as Arunakumar (25), Arun (24), Dakshayinamma (40), Netravati (28) and Shwetha (20), residents of Gondichatnalli in Shivamogga taluk, and Sachin (23), a resident of Mallikarjun Layout in the city. All of them are family members and relatives of the deceased. Ironically, they are also close associates of Sangh Parivar.

During the investigation, the accused confessed to murdering Manjunath on the night of February 20 and dumping the body in a site behind Padma Theatre at Gopala Extension in the city.

The suspects and Manjunath had a dispute over a site in Gondichatnalli.?He went to Gondichatnalli on the night of February 18 and fought with them over the piece of land. The suspects conspired to murder him as they could no longer tolerate his acts, the police added.

Accordingly, Dakshayinamma invited her brother for dinner at her house on February 20. After he arrived, the suspects attacked him with a log and stabbed him repeatedly, killing him on the spot. They took the body on a bike and dumped it in a vacant space near Padma Theatre. They decided to project the murder as the outcome of the religious violence so that their act remained undisclosed, the police said.

DG&IGP Om Prakash has announced a cash prize of Rs one lakh to the special team of police for cracking the case. The case was initially probed by Sagar sub-division DySP Nandini and later it was handed over to Shivamogga sub-division DySP Dr Ram L?Arasiddi.?

The DySP and his team comprising Kote Circle CPIs S?M?Deepak and Kumar arrested the accused.?The team was guided by SP Ravi D?Channannavar and Additional SP?S?S?Naik.

Also Read: Attack on PFI rally leads to communal violence, one killed, several injured

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News Network
November 21,2025

Bantwal: A domestic dispute appears to have led to a violent confrontation in BC Road area, where the owner of a textile shop was allegedly attacked with a knife by his wife on Wednesday evening.

Krishna Kumar Somayaji, the owner of Somayaji Textiles, sustained serious injuries in the incident and was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment. He is currently receiving care in the intensive care unit and is reported to have survived the assault, according to police.

The Bantwal Town police have registered a case against Somayaji's wife, Jyothi KT, who has since been taken into custody.

Police stated that the complainant, Namita, an employee at the shop, reported the sequence of events. She stated that around 7 p.m. on Wednesday, the suspect entered the shop, wearing a burqa and disguised as a customer, before attacking Somayaji with a knife. The employee then transported the injured owner to a local hospital via an autorickshaw.

Superintendent of Police Arun K confirmed that an ongoing domestic dispute between Somayaji and his wife reportedly preceded the attack. Police noted that Jyothi KT had previously visited the shop and issued threats.

Based on the complaint, Bantwal Town police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Indian Arms Act-1959. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.

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coastaldigest.com news network
November 28,2025

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Udupi district transformed into a sea of saffron and celebration on Friday, November 28, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow swept through the coastal temple town. Thousands of residents lined the streets, turning the event into a vibrant public spectacle filled with cheers, flags, and festive energy.

The procession route—from the helipad to the historic Sri Krishna Math—was decked with buntings, saffron flags, and multilayered security barricades. One of the district’s largest-ever security deployments was put in place for the high-profile visit, with over 3,000 police personnel on duty. The arrangement included ten SPs, 27 DSPs, 49 inspectors, 127 sub-inspectors, 232 assistant sub-inspectors, 1,608 constables, and 39 women staff.

Six platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police, six Quick Response Teams, bomb detection units, and dog squads were stationed across Udupi. Enhanced surveillance covered Adi Udupi, Bannanje bus stand, and the Sri Krishna Math parking zone, with combing operations carried out along the roadshow corridor.

At the 800-year-old Sri Krishna Math, preparations reached a ceremonial peak. Paryaya Puttige Math seer Sugunendra Teertha Swamiji said the Prime Minister would take part in the Laksha Kantha Geetha Parayana, a mass chanting of the Bhagavad Gita by one lakh devotees, and inaugurate the new Suvarna Teertha Mantapa.

“He will first offer floral tributes to saint-poet Kanakadasa and then unveil the golden covering over the Kanakana Kindi,” the seer said.

The Prime Minister will also receive a Poorna Kumbha welcome and have darshan of Lord Sri Krishna, Mukhyaprana Devaru, and the Suvarna Paduke. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister Bairathi Suresh, Dharmadhikari D. Veerendra Heggade, and seers from the Ashta Maths are expected to join the ceremony.

Ahead of his arrival, the Prime Minister posted on X that he felt “honoured” to attend the spiritually significant gathering. “This is a special occasion that brings together people from different sections of society for a recital of the Gita. This Matha has a very special significance in our cultural life,” he wrote, noting the institution’s long-standing legacy rooted in the teachings of Sri Madhvacharya.

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News Network
December 3,2025

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Mangaluru, Dec 3: A group of Congress workers gathered at the Mangaluru International Airport on Wednesday to welcome AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, but the reception quickly turned into a display of support for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Venugopal arrived in the city to participate in the centenary commemoration of the historic dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Narayana Guru. The event, organised by the Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, in association with the Mangalore University Sri Narayana Guru Study Chair, is being held on the university’s Konaje campus.

KPCC general secretary Mithun Rai and several party workers had assembled at the airport to receive Venugopal. However, the moment he stepped out, workers began raising slogans backing Shivakumar.

The university programme will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

This show of support comes just a day after Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar would lead the government “when the high command decides.” The chief minister made the comment after a breakfast meeting at Shivakumar’s residence—another public display of camaraderie between the two leaders amid ongoing attempts by the party high command to downplay their leadership rivalry.

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