Property Greed Turns Deadly: Wife, Son Among 4 Arrested for Labourer’s Murder in Hirenandihalli

What initially appeared to be a mysterious death in a village in Karnataka has unravelled into a pre-planned murder allegedly driven by a property dispute.

On February 20, villagers found a decomposed body in a maize field on the outskirts of Hirenandihalli village in Belagavi district. Police initially registered a case of unidentified death. The deceased was later identified as 50-year-old Kalmesh Kotti, a native of the village who was working at a home care centre in Tumakuru. He had returned home for Maha Shivaratri.

Marital Discord and Loan Dispute

According to police, Kalmesh and his wife Kasturi had been living separately for nearly 12 years due to marital disputes. Kasturi was residing at her parental home in Kundagol along with their son.

Five years ago, Kasturi allegedly borrowed ₹8–9 lakh from her brother Mallesh Ammannavar for their daughter’s marriage, mortgaging Kalmesh’s three acres of ancestral land. However, disputes arose when Kalmesh reportedly refused to transfer the land documents or repay the loan.

Police said Kasturi allegedly conspired with her brother, believing that if Kalmesh died, the property would legally pass to her, enabling her to sell the land and clear the debt.

Murder Under Pretext of Party

Investigators revealed that on the night of February 16, Mallesh and his friend Mudukappa Kolekar allegedly took Kalmesh to a farmland under the pretext of a party. There, they allegedly strangled him with a rope.

To mislead investigators, the accused allegedly shifted the body to another field and attempted to stage it as a natural death. Police also stated that the body was found in a mutilated condition.

During sustained interrogation, police uncovered the alleged involvement of Kasturi and her son Kiran Kotti, who were reportedly aware of the conspiracy.

Arrests and Police Statement

The Kittur Police arrested Mallesh Ammannavar (32), Mudukappa Kolekar (30), Kasturi Kotti (42), and Kiran Kotti (25). All four have been remanded to Hindalga Central Jail.

Belagavi Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan stated that the murder was a pre-planned act rooted in a property dispute. Further investigation is underway to examine all aspects of the case.

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