Karnataka witnesses two brutal crimes echoing Renukaswamy murder

In two horrifying incidents that mirror the brutality of the Chitradurga Renukaswamy murder involving actor Darshan, young men in Bengaluru and Kalaburagi have fallen victim to violent acts fuelled by relationship disputes. The incidents — one involving a gruesome murder and the other a public assault — have raised serious concerns about rising aggression among youth, especially around failed relationships and social media influence.

Kalaburagi: Man Murdered Over Lover’s New Relationship
A shocking murder has come to light from Kalaburagi, where Raghavendra Nayak (39), a hotel worker from Ganesh Nagar, was allegedly abducted, beaten to death, and his body dumped into the Krishna River. The crime was reportedly motivated by a dispute over a woman with whom he was in a live-in relationship.

Police have arrested four people in connection with the crime:

Gururaj Sheshappa Nelogi (36),
Ashwini alias Tanu (26) — the woman at the centre of the dispute,
Rajshekhar Mallabad (26) — Ashwini’s husband, and
Lakshmikant Malipatil (28).

According to the investigation, Ashwini had left Raghavendra and started a new relationship with Gururaj. When Raghavendra confronted her about it and asked her to end the new relationship, she informed Gururaj.

On March 12, Gururaj and his associates allegedly abducted Raghavendra from a lodge in Kalaburagi, took him to a cremation ground in Raichur, where Ashwini herself hit him on the head.

The group then brutally assaulted him with sticks, leading to his death. His body was dumped into the Krishna River, and initially reported as an unnatural death. However, further investigation confirmed it was premeditated murder.

Bengaluru: Teen Girl Leads Gang to Assault Ex-Boyfriend
In another disturbing case in Bengaluru’s Dasarahalli area under Soladevanahalli Police Station limits, a 19-year-old youth named Kushal was abducted, stripped, and assaulted by a group of nine — including his minor ex-girlfriend. The incident occurred on June 30 near Aalur Lake grove and was recorded and circulated on social media.

Those arrested include:

Shivashankar (20),
Yashwanth Patel (20),
Hemant (18),
Salman Khan (23),
Rahul (20),
Tejas (18),
Rakesh (21), and
Shashank Gowda (19).

The minor girl was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board. Kushal and the girl had been in a relationship since their PUC days. The relationship soured when the girl became close to another boy. She allegedly asked Kushal to delete intimate photos from his phone, but he did not comply. Enraged, she shared this with her friends, leading to a conspiracy involving Shivashankar and others.

On June 30, Kushal was lured via a phone call, taken to a secluded grove, stripped, assaulted, and reportedly targeted in his private parts, causing severe trauma. The accused filmed the attack and can be heard in the video comparing it to the Renukaswamy case, “This is like the Renukaswamy case… I’m A1 Hemant, A2 me…” The video was circulated online, drawing widespread outrage and prompting swift police action.

Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara addressed the incidents, saying, “The complete details of the Soladevanahalli case are yet to emerge. Whether the accused were directly influenced by the Chitradurga murder is uncertain. But it is worrying that such violent acts are repeating in the same pattern. Psychologists need to study whether cases like Renukaswamy’s are setting off a dangerous chain reaction among youth.”

He further warned of the psychological impact of social media-fuelled violence, especially when crimes are filmed, glamorized, and shared.

Disturbing Trend Emerges
These two back-to-back cases — one involving premeditated murder over a love triangle and the other a group assault planned by a minor girl — reflect an alarming trend. Emotional instability, tech misuse, and the desire to record and mimic high-profile crimes appear to be fueling copycat violence, with devastating consequences.

Both cases are under active investigation, and police have assured strict legal action. Social observers and mental health professionals are calling for urgent intervention programs, counselling, and digital education, particularly among youth, to curb this dangerous spiral.