Yahya Hallare
Daijiworld Media Network - Bhatkal (SP)

Bhatkal, Aug 1: The month-old case in which Durgappa Narayana Mogera (30) had gone missing from his home suddenly on June 26 this year, and then found dead by drowning in Sanabavi rivulet near his home, has now acquired an interesting twist.

The police, who have been investigating the case, have discovered that Durgappa was murdered in a pre-planned conspiracy. Relating to the case, four out of the five murder-accused stand arrested.

The arrested accused are Durgappa's maternal uncles Govind (40) and Manjappa (50), his paternal uncle Devendra (35), and Durgappa's 17-year-old brother.

The arrested brother, being a minor, was sent to the juvenile delinquents boys centre at Sirsi, while the other accused were presented in the JMFC court here.

The other accused, identified as Raju Masti Mogera, who happens to be the first cousin of the deceased, would be arrested within a couple of days, the police said.

A police team led by Bhatkal police circle inspector, Prashant Nayak, working under the guidance of Uttara Kannada district superintendent of police, R Dileep, additional superintendent of police, Devaraju, and deputy superintendent of police, Ayyappa, achieved this breakthrough.

Durgappa Mogera had married a girl from Bailoor over three years back, and the couple had no issues. Reportedly, Durgappa lost everything he had because of his addiction to drinking. During one of the times when he was heavily drunk, Durgappa reportedly asked his uncle, Manjappa, to give his eldest daughter to him in marriage, as he could not get any offspring out of the first marriage. Manjappa, who got angry at this demand, was seething inside and waiting for an opportunity to teach Durgappa a lesson, it is said.

In the meanwhile, to help Durgappa, who was facing financial crisis, his younger brother, who is living at Karikal, Mavinakurve in the taluk with his mother, reportedly borrowed a gold bracelet from his brother-in-law living at Byndoor, and handed it over to Durgappa. The brother was angry that Durgappa, who raised loan by pledging this bracelet, failed to get the bracelet back by clearing the loan, and give the bracelet back to its true owner. The brother, it is said, was also frustrated by the fact that he had to foot all expenses relating to religious ceremonies in the family, as Durgappa failed to contribute anything.

At the same time, Durgappa, who had raised loans from Devendra and Govind, was also harassing them by not repaying the loans, although they too were facing hard times. All the four accused, whose common enemy was Durgappa, used Raju Masti Mogera, who is a vagabond and was close to Durgappa, as a conduit to execute their murder plan. After killing Durgappa, they tried to act normal and continued to function as before. Raju Mogera later filed a report in Murdeshwar police station, stating that Durgappa had accidentally drowned. But from day one, the family of the deceased and his parents-in-law hurled accusations on each other of killing Durgappa.

When all the family members went on pilgrimage to Tirupathi on June 9, Durgappa too had accompanied them, but did not contribute anything. On June 25, he reportedly went to Sanabavi to discuss the issue of performing a religious function near the ancient home of the family for appeasing the serpent god, towards getting a child. The accused, drawing support from Raju, provided liquor to Durgappa, invited him inside the house of Devendra, and bound his limbs. He was also gagged, it is said. They waited till evening, and at dusk, took Durgappa to near Sanabavi rivulet near their house, removed the ropes holding him tight, smothered his neck, and killed him by holding him firmly under the rivulet water, it is learnt. They returned to their homes thereafter and acted like searching for the man they had just then murdered.

Although initially they had planned to crush Durgappa's head by dropping a boulder on his head, Devendra objected, saying that blood would ooze from his body if he is crushed, and that sniffer dogs would easily identify the culprits, the police learnt.

When the brother-in-law from Byndoor, who had lent his bracelet, was brought for inquiry to Bhatkal, he was given a free opportunity to hold discussions with the minor accused. The latter advised his brother-in-law then to confess to the crime, promising to get him released from jail. When the brother-in-law questioned as to why he should confess to a crime which was not committed by him, and questioned him as to whether he was party to the murder, the police got doubtful.

It is said that during the period Durgappa was bound and dumped inside Devendra's house, two women had entered this house for taking bath. It is suspected that at least one among them must have seen Durgappa inside. But they refuse to say anything about this incident.