Nanjangud: In a ghastly incident, a 47-year-old man was brutally murdered by smashing his head with a boulder near Hadinaarukalu Mantapa close to Srikanteshwara Swamy Temple in the town, yesterday.

The deceased has been identified as Bangaru, a vegetable merchant who used to supply to Tamil Nadu and a resident of Haradanahalli village in Chamarajanagar. The Police said that the deceased had visited Nanjangud to attend to a wedding during which the group of unidentified people waylaid him near the mantap and murdered him by smashing his head with a boulder before fleeing the spot.

The Police also added that they are yet to identify the miscreants and the motive behind the incident. On receiving the information, ASP Nagesh, Dy.SP Raghu, Town Police Station Inspector Basavaraju and other officials arrived at the spot and conducted the mahazar. Dog Squad and Fingerprint Experts were also pressed into action.

The body was later shifted to Govt. Hospital for post-mortem. Nanjangud Town Police have registered a case and are investigating.