more-in A security guard, arrested for setting his wife on fire, has reportedly confessed to the murder of a 65-year-old man as part of a perverse land encroachment plan. This has led to the arrest of five others. Avalahalli police had arrested Venkataswamy, a guard at a farm house in Nimbekaipura village, for killing his wife on September 18. During the course of the investigation, he claimed to have participated in a murder, which he alleged was masterminded by Belathur Ramesh, a resident of Nimbekaipura and a real estate businessman. Venkataswamy told the police that Belathur Ramesh arranged for an old man, whose identity is not known, to stay in his home. Belathur Ramesh allegedly gave Venkataswamy a bottle of liquor, which was laced with 50 loose-motion pills. Venkataswamy handed over the liquor to the old man. On consuming the liquor, the old man fell ill and, later, died in a private hospital on September 14. The death was considered to be ‘natural’, as a result of excessive alcohol intake. Belathur Ramesh took a death certificate from the hospital, cremated the body and immersed the ashes in Cauvery river. Based on this information, police picked up Belathur Ramesh. Belathur Ramesh wanted to encroach five acres of unclaimed land in Belathur (near Hosakote). He approached Krishnappa, a stamp vendor, for advise. Krishnappa said he could prepare documents to show Belathur Ramesh as the owner of the land if a genuine death certificate could be arranged, said the police. Belathur Ramesh discussed this suggestion with his friends Shankarappa and Dhananjaya who allegedly gave the idea of killing an elderly man and make it look like a ‘natural death’. The victim was allegedly identified by Ramesh (unrelated to Belathur Ramesh), an employee of Krishnappa, who brought the old man from Mulabagilu in Kolar district promising food and alcohol. The police have arrested all the persons allegedly involved in the murder and are attempting to identify the victim.

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