Karnataka: Man murdered during jewelry store heist in Mandya district

In Mandya’s Kirugavalu village, hotel owner Madappa was strangled to death by a gang of robbers after he witnessed them looting a jewelry shop. The culprits fled with gold, cash, and the CCTV DVR, leaving villagers in shock and fear

Mandya: A shocking case of robbery and murder has plunged Kirugavalu village in Malavalli taluk into a state of fear. A gang of thieves brutally murdered Madappa (60), the owner of the Mahadeshwar Hotel, after he witnessed them breaking into a nearby jewelry store. The culprits then made off with a significant amount of gold and cash, leaving the community in mourning and panic.

The gruesome incident took place around 3 am on Sunday morning. According to police, the gang targeted Mahalakshmi Jewelers, located on the village’s main road. Using a gas cutter, they skillfully cut through the metal shutters to gain access to the store.

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As they began to loot the gold ornaments, Madappa, whose hotel was adjacent to the jewelry shop, was alerted by the noise. He courageously came out to investigate, but in doing so, he directly stumbled upon the thieves.

Realising they had been spotted, the robbers acted swiftly and without mercy. They allegedly held Madappa down and strangled him to death to eliminate the witness. After committing the heinous act, they fled with the stolen jewelry and cash. To further obstruct the police investigation, the thieves also took the CCTV camera DVR from the shop, removing crucial evidence that could have helped in their identification.

Upon learning of the crime, the Mandya District Superintendent of Police Mallikarjuna Baladandi, along with Kirugavalu police officials, immediately rushed to the crime scene to gather evidence and launch a full-scale investigation.

They have since heightened security in the area and are meticulously working to track down the suspects. The murder of the well-known hotel owner and the brazen robbery have created an atmosphere of terror among the villagers, who are now grappling with the realisation of their community’s vulnerability to such violent crime.

A case has been registered at the Kirugavalu police station, and the investigation is ongoing.