• Killing made to look like an accident; three arrested

• Balachandra Kalagi had opposed sand, liquor mafia

Madikeri: The death of Kodagu BJP District General Secretary 42-year-old Balachandra Kalagi in a road accident has now turned into a murder case that was meticulously planned and executed. Balachandra was killed as he raised his voice against illegality and this could not be digested by his rivals who conspired to kill him.

Balachandra Kalagi’s family made allegations about his death in a road accident on Mar.19 and tracking the case and investigating in different angles, Kodagu Police have arrested three persons who have confessed to murdering the BJP functionary.

Addressing a press conference in Madikeri yesterday, SP Dr. Suman D. Pennekar said that the accident which took place near Mekeri was an act of murder. Sampath Kumar, 34 of Kallugundi, Hariprasad, 36 of Sampaje and lorry driver Jayan, 34 of Gaulibeedi in Madikeri, have been arrested in this connection.

SAND, LIQUOR MAFIA

Balachandra was actively opposing the sand mafia and other illegal businesses in Kodagu. Jayan was offered a ‘Supari’ (contract) of Rs.1.50 lakh by Sampath Kumar to carry out the killing by deliberately ramming the lorry into Kalagi’s car, she added.

When Balachandra was the President of Sampaje Gram Panchayat, he had denied permission to construct a recreation club in the village, to be built by Sampath Kumar and Hariprasad. Again, in March 2018, Sampath and Hariprasad had planned to open a wine shop in Sampaje village and Kalagi had led a protest against the same and was successful in scrapping the permit.

MURDER PLANNING

This enraged Sampath and Hariprasad and they began planning to murder Kalagi. The BJP leader’s movements were being watched keenly by the arrested for several months, SP Suman said. On Mar.19, when Kalagi was returning home in his Maruti Omni vehicle, a speeding lorry rammed Kalagi’s vehicle at Mekeri.

As planned earlier after observing the route Balachandra used to take daily to reach his home at Sampaje, Jayan hit the Madenadu-Thalathmane Road and reached Mekeri and dashed his lorry against the car. Sampath was following the movements of Balachandra on that day tipped of Jayan about the route, timings of Balachandra leaving Madikeri.

Sampath too was closely following Balachandra’s car. Balachandra breathed his last on the way to the hospital. It was made to appear that the incident was a road accident, she said. Jayan fled the spot soon after the accident and some passers-by took Balachandra to a hospital and he had sustained grievous head injuries.

FAMILY ALLEGES CONSPIRACY

After the accident, Balachandra’s uncle Rajaram Kalagi submitted a Police complaint on Mar.20, suspecting a foul play. The district BJP leaders too had urged for the probe and a protest was held at Madikeri too.

“We conducted a thorough investigation and interrogated three suspects and we learnt that Sampath Kumar, Hariprasad and Jaya conspired to kill Kalagi and making it look like a road accident. The case was cracked with the help of circumstantial evidences. The accused have confessed to the crime and all the three have been remanded in judicial custody. The accused have stated that Kalagi was also posing obstructions in their political career and hence they decided to murder him,” the SP added.

PROBE ON

She further said that the investigations were still on and charge-sheet will be filed to the Court after a detailed probe. A road accident case was registered initially. With the permission of Court, cases have been filed against the arrested for murdering and destroying evidences.

The SP has announced cash prize for the team of Police personnel comprising Madikeri Dy.SP K.S. Sundarraj, Rural Circle Inspector Siddaiah, Rural PSI Chetan, PSI Shravan, Police personnel Dinesh, Shivaraj, Ravi, Anil, Manjunath, CDR department staff Rajesh, Girish, Sunil and Arun which cracked the case.