K'taka Jain monk murder case: Trusted men resort to brutality to evade loan repayment [Details]

In a gruesome turn of events, shocking revelations have emerged from the ongoing investigation into the murder of Jain monk Acharya Shree 108th Kamakumara Nandi Maharaja.

According to authorities, the accused individuals subjected the monk to unimaginable horror, despite his meager consumption of food that fateful day.

Initially, the assailants attempted to electrocute the monk, and when that failed, they resorted to strangling him with a towel until his life expired. Disturbingly, the perpetrators dismembered the monk's body in an attempt to conceal the evidence, as revealed by the local police sources.

The incident first came to light when Kusuma, a devoted follower responsible for preparing meals for the monk, discovered his absence from his room on July 6th. Raising further suspicions, Kusuma noticed the presence of the monk's cherished divine artifacts, including the pinchi and kamandala, which he always carried with him.

Subsequently, the temple trustees stumbled upon the monk's missing mobile phones and an open treasury door. Distressed by these findings, they filed a missing person report on July 8th, noon, after their exhaustive search yielded no results.

Soon, the Chikodi police swung into action, identified and interrogated the accused individuals to get the truth within four hours of commencing the investigation.

The perpetrators, identified as Narayan Maali and Hassan, known by the alias Hassan Dalayat, ultimately confessed to the heinous murder of the Jain monk. Having gained access to the monk's quarters, the assailants initially attempted to electrocute him.

Upon discovering that the monk had miraculously survived their initial assault, the accused resorted to strangulation, exerting all their strength to end his life, an act as horrifying as it is chilling.

Following the monk's demise, the assailants callously packed his lifeless body into a sack, proceeding to transport it on a motorcycle for approximately 35 kilometers. After reaching Khatakabhavi, the murderers dismembered the remains, disposing of them down an open borewell.

Destroyed evidence

They also incinerated their bloodstained garments and destroyed a diary belonging to the revered spiritual leader. Unveiling a darker subplot, it was revealed that Maali, a resident of Khatakabhavi village, had cultivated a close relationship with the monk, eventually swindling him out of lakhs of rupees under the guise of a loan.

When pressed by the pontiff to repay the debt, Maali conspired with his friend, Hassan Dalayat, a lorry driver, to eliminate the monk through this meticulously planned crime.

(With inputs from IANS)