The Hindu

• Land dispute suspected to be motive behind killing

Bangalore, Mar 28: A real estate agent was shot dead by three men at Muddenapalya, off Magadi Road, on the outskirts of Bangalore on Monday.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that hired men had fired at M.T. Narayana (42) from a country-made 12-bore gun.

"We suspect land dispute to be the motive behind the killing. It appears that the underworld has a role in the murder," Magadi Circle Inspector of Police Ravi Shankar told The Hindu.

Around 10.45 p.m., three men arrived in a car and one of them shot at Narayana while he was washing his car in front of his house at Muddenapalya, near Byadarahalli. He was shot at from a distance of 10 ft., the police said.

Narayana collapsed after over a dozen bullets pierced his body.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital where was declared brought dead, they said.

The Tavarekere police in Bangalore Rural district have registered a case on a complaint by Narayana's brother Mare Gowda. According to it, Narayana had paid Rs. 4 lakh to Munihanume Gowda of Basaveshwaranagar for purchasing from him a piece of land at Geddanahalli.

As the land value had soared after they signed the sale agreement, Munihanume Gowda was reportedly demanding more for registering the property.

The two had quarrelled over the issue, the complaint said.
Mare Gowda has alleged that those hired by Munihanume Gowda might have murdered his brother.

According to the police, Narayana had land disputes with a few others also.