Police said the body of Mallikarjun Muthyal, 64, was found at his shop in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district
A former Janata Dal (Secular) leader who was about to join the BJP was found murdered in Karnataka. Mallikarjun Muthyal, 64, had injury marks in his genitals.
A day before he was murdered, Muthyal attended an event where Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai participated. Muthyal, who was from Karnataka's Kalaburagi district, was set to join the BJP a few days later.
Muthyal's body was found at his shop and cash was missing, indicating robbery, the police said, adding they haven't ruled out other angles yet.
"My father used to sleep in the shop after a theft earlier. I am suspicious that this could be theft. They brutally murdered my father and made away with money and damaged a few documents that were inside the shop," Muthyal's son Venkatesh said.
Muthyal was also the Kalaburagi taluk's honorary president of the Sedam Koli Kabbaliga community, the fourth most powerful in north Karnataka after Vokkaliga, Lingayat and Kuruba communities.
"He owned an electronic shop. He slept in his shop on Monday night, and was found to have been murdered early Tuesday morning. His body was discovered with injuries in his genitals. He seems to be have been attacked with stones," senior police officer Isha Pant said.
Muthyal quit the Janata Da (Secular), or JD(S), recently and was preparing to join the BJP. Locals say he has been participating at BJP events since he left the party run by former Prime Minister and Chief Minister HD Deve Gowda.