Belagavi: A retired Indian Army soldier and his daughter were hacked to death at the gram panchayat office in Avaradi village of Kittur taluk in Belagavi district on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, in an attack police have linked to a long-running family dispute over ancestral property.
The deceased have been identified as Rudrappa Kundaragi, 67, a former soldier originally from Avaradi who had settled in Dharwad, and his daughter Shashikala Kundaragi, 26, an engineer. They had travelled to the village from Dharwad to complete documentation related to property records.
According to police, Rudrappa visited the gram panchayat office around noon in connection with land-related papers and a court order concerning the Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTC) and a house. His brothers, Basappa Kundaragi and Sangappa Kundaragi, along with his nephew Madivalappa (also reported as Madiwalappa) Kundaragi, allegedly arrived after learning of the visit and attacked him with sickles, an axe and other sharp-edged weapons.
Shashikala intervened in an attempt to protect her father and was also assaulted. Police said she was struck on the head with a stone and that part of her braid was cut during the attack. Both father and daughter succumbed to their injuries. A companion who accompanied them, identified in some reports as the family’s driver Rahul Lokhande, sustained serious injuries and was hospitalised. Some accounts stated that three other persons were also injured.
The assault occurred in the presence of gram panchayat staff, including the Panchayat Development Officer, and local residents. Officials have indicated that video footage recorded at the scene is expected to form part of the evidence.
Police have attributed the killings to a dispute over the division of ancestral agricultural land. A court had ordered the partition of 38 guntas among family members. Investigators said Rudrappa had sold a portion earlier allotted to him but continued to seek a share in the remaining property and had obtained a court direction in his favour. His brothers, who depend primarily on agriculture, reportedly opposed the claim, arguing that he had already disposed of family land and had settled away from the village.
Belagavi Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan visited the spot. Kittur Circle Inspector Shivanand Gudaganatti and other officers inspected the scene. A case has been registered at Kittur police station. A special team has been formed to trace the accused, who initially fled. Later reports indicated that two of the accused had been detained while efforts continued to recover the weapons used. Security has been increased in Avaradi and neighbouring areas amid local tension.
The investigation remains under way. Police have cautioned that anyone found to be harbouring the remaining suspects will face legal action.
