Karnataka Man Kills Friend For Money, Then Buys Gifts For Ex Wife With Stolen Cash Worth Rs 2.5 Lakh

Tumakuru: A man has been arrested on Saturday (March 7) for allegedly killing his close friend to steal cash and later using the stolen money to buy gifts for his estranged second wife, police said.

The accused has been identified as Shafi, a resident of Birur in Karnataka's Chikkamagaluru district, and he has been arrested for murdering his friend in Tumakuru district. The victim has been identified as Puttaraju, a welder by profession.

The incident took place on February 19 in the Tiptur Taluk area when Shafi allegedly lured his friend Puttaraju to step out on the pretext of participating in a gold auction being conducted by a finance company, police said. Believing the claim, Puttaraju reportedly left his home around 11 am carrying nearly Rs 2.5 lakh in cash.

Shafi then allegedly took him on a motorcycle to a forested area near Honnavalli in Tiptur Taluk, where he attacked him with a machete in broad daylight, killing him before fleeing with the cash.

The victim’s body was discovered only the following morning when a milk vendor passing along the road spotted the body lying by the roadside and alerted the police.

Honnavalli police rushed to the spot promptly and registered a case. An in-depth investigation followed soon after. During the probe, officers identified the victim and were able to trace his last estimated movements, which led them to Shafi and helped them put together the exact sequence of events leading to the murder. 

According to sources, the police also said that after committing the murder, the accused allegedly met his estranged second wife at a lodge in Arasikere, where he gave her Rs 60,000 and also purchased a new television using the stolen money. Shafi was soon tracked down by the police, and then arrested in Chintamani. The accused and the victim reportedly knew each other for around seven years and were considered close friends. Further details are awaited as the investigation remains underway. 

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