Sunil Lohan
The alert family members caught a 36-year-old construction labourer who hacked his 60-year-old relative to steal 30 goats from him in Devalakere village in Pavagada taluk of Tumkur district on Saturday.
The accused Manikanta from neighbouring village attacked Narasimaiah with a sickle killing him on the spot while he was grazing the goats in the outskirts of his village.
Narasimhaiah was a former member of Village panchayath and related to Manikanta.
After killing Narasimaiah,Manikanta hired 30 goats to Hiriyur fair and tried to sell them to make a quick buck.
Meanwhile Narasimhaiah’s son Manjunath realized his father did not return for lunch and went to look for him. He found him dead in a pool of blood with multiple injuries and goats are missing.
Realizing that the assailants had stolen the goats Manjunath along with his friends and family members set out to search for the goats and reached Hiriyur fair and caught Manikanta red handed .
Manikanta was thrashed black and blue and handed over to the jurisdictional Arasikre police.
The police have registered a case of murder and theft against Manikanta and handing him over to Pavagada police for further investigation.
Manikanta who was alcoholic and gambling wanted money for his vices and decided to kill Narasimhaiah to steal the goats and sell them, the police, said .