Actors Darshan Thoogudeepa and Pavithra Gowda are accused in the murder case
Bengaluru:
The man tortured and killed allegedly by popular Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa died of shock and haemorrhage, according to the autopsy report.
The autopsy found 15 wounds on the body of Renuka Swamy, who was allegedly beaten to death by the actor and his aides.
They kidnapped Renuka Swamy from Karnataka’s Chitradurga over his comments on the social media posts of Pavithra Gowda, the girlfriend of Mr Thoogudeepa.
Renuka Swamy’s body bore wounds and marks on the head, abdomen, chest and other parts. The autopsy report indicated his head rammed a mini truck parked in a shed in Bengaluru where he was brought from Chitradurga. The police have seized this vehicle.
The police have also recovered wooden logs, a leather belt, and a rope used to torture Renuka Swamy.
Mr Thoogudeepa had allegedly planted three men to take the blame for the murder, but during interrogation, they were exposed, the police have said, adding he offered the three Rs 5 lakh each.
“It’s a heinous crime. He (Darshan Thoogudeepa) has to face the consequences… there will be no interference from the government. There is no room for that,” Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Thursday.
Earlier today, a driver identified as Ravi, who had taken Renuka Swamy from Chitradurga to Bengaluru, 200 km apart, surrendered before the police. Another accused, Raghu alias Raghavendra, had along with others arranged Ravi’s taxi and boarded it in Chitradurga city.
Ravi went into hiding after dropping them off in Bengaluru. Later, he reached out to the taxi association in Chitradurga, who told him to surrender to the police, sources said.
Raghu ran a fan club of the Kannada actor in Chitradurga. The actor hired him to gather information about Renuka Swamy, the police had said. Renuka Swamy’s wife alleged he was kidnapped from near their house.
The actor and his aides dumped the body by a road. A food delivery rider saw the body and called the police.
CCTV footage shows two cars – one of them linked to Mr Thoogudeepa – leaving the area after dumping the body.