Stephan Kayyar

Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod

Kasargod, Apr 29: The Kasargod police have arrested a man in connection with the murder of a labourer from Gadag, which took place on March 11.

The accused has been identified as H Manjunath, alias Manjappa (45), a resident of Dharwad. He is accused of killing Chandrashekar alias Suresh Pattod (38), originally from Balehosur in Gadag.

The murder occurred at a construction site in Nullippady on the outskirts of the city. The victim’s body was later discovered in a pit dug for a lift at the building, with bloodstains found across the construction area. Suresh Pattod had been working as a construction labourer at the site.

Following the incident, the police formed a special investigation team and focused their probe on migrant labourers from Karnataka. The accused, Manjappa, had gone into hiding immediately after the crime. He was eventually traced and apprehended in Hassan.

During interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed to the crime, stating that a dispute over a loan of Rs 2,000 led to the murder. Manjappa admitted that he attacked Suresh in an inebriated state after the latter refused to provide the loan.