Eight arrested in connection with murder of youth

Hubballi: The Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner, Renuka Sukumar, announced the arrest of eight individuals by the Old Hubballi Police Station in connection with the murder of Akash Mathapati, the 30-year-old son of Auto Drivers Association President Sekharayya Mathapati. The incident occurred on the night of June 22, behind Pawan School in Lohia Nagar. Sekharayya Mathapati has expressed suspicion that his son’s murder was orchestrated by his friends.

Sekharayya Mathapati filed a complaint against 12 individuals, including Akash’s wife, mother-in-law, and father-in-law. The complaint, lodged at the Old Hubli Police Station, accuses the suspects under IPC Section 1860 U/S 149 and Section 302, alleging that Akash’s wife Kavya, mother-in-law Sridevi, and father-in-law Mohan Nayak, along with Bharat Nayak, Arjun Magali, Sanju Koppad, Rahul Kamble, Vinayaka Talikoti, Manoj, Chamak Mounesh, Mahesh, and Karthik Rajput, were involved in the murder. Of these, eight individuals have been arrested.

Akash Mathapati had a love marriage with his wife Kavya, and they resided in Gokarna, Uttara Kannada district. The murder has sparked outrage and highlighted ongoing concerns about law and order in the region.

Niranjan Hiremath corporator of Hubli Dharwad city corporation , the father of murdered student Neha Hiremath, on April 18 last commented on the incident, emphasizing the prevalence of illegal cannabis and liquor sales in Hubli. He lamented the state of law and order, citing the murders of his daughter Neha, Anjali, and now Akash Mathapati, as evidence of the system’s failure. Despite visits from the Home Minister and Chief Minister, he stated that there have been no significant changes. He vowed to continue fighting for justice, particularly after the postmortem report of Akash is released, and hinted at further actions, including a potential Hubli bandh. The investigation into Akash Mathapati’s murder continues, with authorities working to piece together the circumstances leading to his death and ensure all responsible parties are held accountable.