Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru (SP)

Mysuru, Mar 17: Naveen (28), who was the hero and producer of Kannada movie, 'Hai Krishna' was hacked to death and then crushed with a rock even as hundreds of people looked on, on Sunday March 15 night at Belavadi here.

Naveen was the son of Ninge Gowda and Lakshmi couple residing in Belavadi in the outskirts of the city, and in whose name a rowdy sheet had been opened in Vijayanagara police station here because of his involvement with some notorious activities.

Naveen had tried to rise to fame and become financially stronger with the above movie, but slumped further deep in trouble as it did not succeed as expected. Because of death threats and risks of living in the town, he mostly lived at Bengaluru. Naveen however, had come to Mysuru to attend the annual festival of Goddess Maramma, his village deity, in his home town, Belavadi. He had come to the temple along with several friends. At around 11.30 pm, a gang of miscreants armed with lethal weapons, hacked him to death. The gang also crushed his skull by dropping a rock. Many claim that the gang also had some of his former friends and distant relatives.

Naveen had several enemies particularly because of failed financial commitments. Relating to finance, he had tried to kill one of his friends last year. He was arrested, and had been released recently on bail. He had come to the city on Sunday for the specific purpose of taking part in the temple festival.

It is said that Naveen's mother, who had accompanied her son to the temple, went into the temple to offer puja, while Naveen remained outside, and was dancing to the sound of drums. Six persons who came there suddenly, threw sprayed chilli powder into his eyes before launching onslaught with weapons, Lakshmi said in her complaint. She also has named the assailants as a distant cousin named Chandrashekhar, and friends, Deepu, Shashi, Diwakar, Lokesh and one identified person.

The police have begun investigation into this murder.