Ex-murder convict kills co-worker over Rs 200 in Uttara Kannada
A man with a prior life sentence has been arrested for murdering his co-worker over Rs 200 in Kamatageri village, Uttara Kannada. Police said the argument was fuelled by unpaid wages and alcohol. The accused admitted to the crime
Karwar: A man who had previously served a life sentence for murder has been arrested for brutally killing his co-worker over Rs 200 in Uttara Kannada district. The incident occurred in Kamatageri village of Sirsi taluk on Thursday night and came to light on Friday morning.
The accused, Manjunath Basayya Channayya of Kamatageri, had been convicted in 2002 for murdering his father-in-law and was released in 2016 after completing 14 years in prison. Since his release, he had been working as a daily-wage labourer alongside the victim, Ravish Ganapathi Channayya (35), who was also from the same village.
Police said the killing took place around 8:30 pm near the Vadiraaj Math arch in Kamatageri. Both men had consumed alcohol before an argument broke out over pending wages. Ravish reportedly owed Manjunath Rs 500 for their work. While he had paid Rs 300 earlier, the remaining ₹200 was still due. Enraged over the unpaid amount, Manjunath allegedly attacked Ravish with a hoe, delivering a fatal blow to his head.
The murder occurred right in front of the accused’s house. Ravish’s wife later lodged a complaint at the Sirsi Rural Police Station. Acting swiftly, police apprehended Manjunath near Sonda Cross within hours of the incident.
District Additional Superintendent of Police Krishnamurthy, DYSP Geetha Patil, CPI Shashikant Verma, and PSI Santosh Kumar visited the spot and conducted investigations. Police said Manjunath admitted to the crime, stating that the wage dispute and alcohol-fueled rage led to the killing.
Authorities have booked the accused for murder, and he remains in custody as further investigation continues.