Moreover Karnataka’s cultural capital, Mysuru is thought additionally as a pensioners’ paradise. Like many different pensioners, retired Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer R N Kulkarni, 82, who had confronted a number of threatening conditions throughout his profession, was dwelling a peaceable life within the metropolis. However on 4 November, 2022, he misplaced his life in a manner he couldn’t have anticipated. What was initially believed to be a street accident finally turned out to be a well-planned homicide.
Mysuru had simply completed Dasara celebrations. For a month, police had stored a detailed watch on town visited by greater than 5 million folks from throughout the globe for the celebrations. However when RN Kulkarni was killed, town turned a speaking level. Ultimately, inside three days, CCTV footage helped the police resolve the thriller behind the homicide.
Who was RN Kulkarni?
R N Kulkarni, born in 1940 in Savanur of Haveri district, was a graduate of Karnataka College in Dharwad. He began working with the IB in 1963 and served in a number of positions within the subsequent three a long time earlier than retiring in 1998. Kulkarni additionally authored many books, together with Aspects of Terrorism in India and Sin of Nationwide Conscience. Aspects of Terrorism in India was launched in 2019 by then defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Kulkarni additionally served with the Analysis and Evaluation Wing (RAW) and was a part of a diplomatic mission overseas. He was awarded a police (particular responsibility) service medal by the federal government of Nagaland in appreciation of his service through the insurgency within the Northeast state. He lived along with his spouse Vatsala whereas his son and daughter lived overseas. His daughter is a choose at a courtroom within the US. Individuals who knew him say that Kulkarni was an avid cricket fan who even had performed for Karnataka throughout his youth. “He was keen about issues he did. He had precisely exemplified the adage that age is only a quantity,” stated a pal, who didn’t wish to be named.
R N Kulkarni, born in 1940 in Savanur of Haveri district, was a graduate of Karnataka College in Dharwad. He began working with the IB in 1963 and served in a number of positions within the subsequent three a long time earlier than retiring in 1998.
With a distinguished profession behind him and having chronicled a few of his experiences, Kulkarni was dwelling a cheerful retired life. He used to go for night walks both on the Manasa Gangothri campus of the College of Mysore or close to the Kukkarahalli lake.
The accident plot and homicide
Like on some other day, on November 4, 2022, Kulkarni Ningaraju went to College of Mysore for a night stroll round 5 pm. Whereas his driver Ningaraju stayed in his automobile, Kulkarni went for a stroll. Kulkarni used to return inside an hour, however on that day he didn’t. In a press release given to the police then, Ningaraju stated, “As I waited for him, he left for the stroll. Whereas I used to be ready, one of many walkers knowledgeable me that he was hit by a automobile close to the biotechnology division within the college. I rushed him to Kamakshi Hospital (lower than 2 km away), the place docs declared he was introduced lifeless.”
Ningaraju knowledgeable Kulkarni’s son-in-law Sanjay Angadi of the incident over the cellphone round 6.31 pm. The VV Puram visitors police registered a hit-and-run case. A police officer who was a part of the investigation stated, “Kulkarni’s demise was additionally handled like some other street accident, and we didn’t know his previous occupation. So we spoke to safety officers of the College of Mysore to test if there have been any CCTV cameras round. Thankfully the cameras had been working and the nice factor was that they might retailer knowledge for 2 years.”
Upon checking the visuals, the police discovered one thing they by no means anticipated. A police officer stated, “Kulkarani was strolling alongside the roadside and a automobile got here and deliberately hit him earlier than rushing away. It was a shock. We instantly knowledgeable then Mysuru metropolis police commissioner Chandragupta. The case was transferred to the Jayalakshmipuram police station—from being probed as a freak street accident to a deliberate homicide.”
#Karnataka
Retired #Intelligence Bureau officer RK Kulkarni was killed by an unidentified automobile in Mysuru. Initially visitors police registered a street accident case however CCTV evidences confirmed that it appeared like a homicide. The police have registered homicide case. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/TFHmB94TDJ— Kiran Parashar (@KiranParashar21) November 6, 2022
By then, the media received entry to the CCTV footage and the demise received nationwide consideration. “He’s a retired IB officer and there may very well be a number of issues that he could have come throughout throughout his profession. And the video simply clearly confirmed that it was a deliberate act. There have been a number of questions requested of the police. Narasimharaja subdivision ACP M Shivashankar was appointed because the investigating officer. From a street accident, it turned a mysterious homicide, about which individuals wanted solutions from the police,” recalled an officer.
Chandragupta stayed with the investigating staff until the case was cracked.
The motive
Whereas beginning the homicide investigation, the police tried to determine the automobile however discovered that it had a clean quantity plate. However what additionally they came upon was {that a} two-wheeler had executed a couple of rounds and given instructions to the automobile concerned within the killing. The police then caught C Varun, 30, a resident of Mysuru. He revealed that the person behind the homicide was a 30-year-old MBA graduate, Manu M.
In accordance with Chandragupta, Manu’s father Madappa had constructed a constructing subsequent to Kulkarni’s home at TK Format in Sharadadevi Nagar. Kulkarni had objected to Madappa’s breaking constructing bylaws. He initially complained to town company but it surely didn’t take any motion. He later approached an area courtroom, which issued a discover to the company. On November 2, the civic physique issued a discover to Madappa stating that it could demolish his constructing.
A police officer stated, “Manu contacted Varun and hatched a plan to kill him and to make it appear to be an accident. Manu, who had purchased the automobile from one Raghu, erased its registration quantity. Manu and Varun had executed homework and deliberate the killing. Varun had taken Manu on his two-wheeler to indicate the place the place Kulkarni often got here to stroll. Then, on 4 November, 2022, they executed the plan.”
“There have been a few arguments earlier than Kulkarni took the matter to the courtroom. Manu’s father Madappa was conscious of the act however he didn’t know that his son had a plan to kill Kulkarni. Ultimately, after we found Manu’s involvement, we picked them up. Thankfully, there have been two college students (a boy and a lady) who had seen the automobile hitting Kulkarni. The case received solved three days after the incident,” the officer stated.
The arrests and current standing
The police arrested Varun, Manu and Madappa within the case and so they had been despatched to jail. The police have additionally filed a chargesheet within the case. “They initially approached the native courtroom in Mysuru after which the Karnataka Excessive Court docket, which denied them bail,” stated a police officer.
Whereas denying bail, the excessive courtroom stated, “though the prosecution case relies upon upon circumstantial proof, the prosecution has efficiently introduced the prima facie case in opposition to the accused 1 and a couple of. When such supplies can be found earlier than the Court docket, I don’t discover any benefit within the petition to enlarge the petitioners on bail. The Court docket has to be aware of different circumstantial materials out there earlier than this Court docket and there are sound circumstances in opposition to the petitioners together with motive in addition to hiring automobiles which had been utilized in committing the homicide.”
Kulkarni’s daughter, who’s a choose in a US courtroom, is following up the case with the police. “We’re hopeful of offering justice to the household. No one imagined that such an IB officer can be killed over a petty property dispute,” stated the police officer who was a part of the investigation.