Karnataka Man Killed by Brother-in-Law Over ₹8 Lakh Loan

A shocking incident in Karnataka’s Belagavi district has left a family in grief after a man was allegedly murdered over an unpaid loan of ₹8 lakh.

According to police, villagers found the body of 50-year-old Kalmesh Koti early on February 20 in a farmland near his village in Hirenandihalli. At first, his death looked like a natural case, but further investigation revealed something far more sinister.

Police identified the deceased and found that Kalmesh had been living separately from his wife, Kasturi, for about 12 years due to ongoing disputes. Kasturi had moved back to her parental home in Kundagol town, where she lived with their son.

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Five years ago, Kasturi borrowed about ₹8 lakh from her brother, Mallesh Ambannavar, to pay for their daughter’s marriage. To secure the loan, she pledged Kalmesh’s three acres of ancestral land as collateral. But the couple soon started arguing because Kalmesh refused to transfer the land into her name or to repay the debt.

Investigators say that Kasturi, Mallesh, and his associate Mudukappa Kolekar allegedly hatched a plan to kill Kalmesh. They invited him under the guise of a meeting, took him to a field, and strangled him with a rope. After killing him, they moved his body to a different location to make it seem like he died of natural causes.

Police uncovered the alleged conspiracy during questioning and arrested all four suspects — Kasturi, Mallesh, Mudukappa, and the couple’s son, Kiran Koti. They have been remanded to Hindalga Central Jail as the investigation continues.

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In a statement, the Belagavi Superintendent of Police said that initial evidence suggests the murder was pre-planned and driven by the dispute over loan and land ownership. Further forensic tests are underway to confirm details of the crime.

Local residents expressed shock and sorrow, saying Kalmesh was “a hardworking man” who had returned to his village for a festival, unaware of the plot against him. The case highlights how financial disputes can sometimes turn violent, with tragic consequences for families involved.