Retired Army Soldier, Daughter Hacked to Death in Belagavi Gram Panchayat Office Over Property Dispute

Belagavi: A retired Indian Army soldier and his daughter were killed in a brutal attack at the gram panchayat office in Avaradi village of Kittur taluk in Belagavi district on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, in what police say was the fallout of a long-standing family dispute over ancestral property.

The victims were identified as Rudrappa Kundaragi, 67, a former soldier originally from Avaradi who had later settled in Dharwad, and his daughter Shashikala Kundaragi, 26, an engineer. The two had come to the village from Dharwad to complete paperwork linked to land records and property documentation.

According to police, the attack took place around noon when Rudrappa went to the gram panchayat office in connection with land-related documents and a court order concerning the Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTC) and a house. His brothers, Basappa Kundaragi and Sangappa Kundaragi, along with his nephew Madivalappa, also reported in some accounts as Madiwalappa, allegedly reached the office after learning he was there and attacked him with sickles, an axe and other sharp-edged weapons.

Shashikala is said to have stepped in to protect her father and was also assaulted. Police said she was hit on the head with a stone, and part of her braid was cut during the attack. Both died of their injuries. A person who accompanied them, identified in some reports as the family driver Rahul Lokhande, was seriously injured and hospitalised. Some reports said three other people were also hurt in the violence.

The attack unfolded in front of gram panchayat personnel, including the Panchayat Development Officer, as well as local residents. Officials said video footage from the scene is likely to be used as evidence in the case.

Police said the killings were linked to a dispute over the division of ancestral agricultural land. A court had ordered the partition of 38 guntas among family members. Investigators said Rudrappa had earlier sold a portion that had been allotted to him, but continued to seek a share in the remaining property and had secured a court direction in his favour. His brothers, who depend mainly on agriculture, reportedly opposed his claim, arguing that he had already sold family land and had long since settled outside the village.

Belagavi Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan visited the scene shortly after the incident. Kittur Circle Inspector Shivanand Gudaganatti and other officers also inspected the spot. A case has been registered at Kittur police station, and a special team has been constituted to track down the accused, who fled after the attack. Later reports said two of the accused had been detained, while efforts were continuing to recover the weapons allegedly used in the killings.

Security has been stepped up in Avaradi and nearby areas as tension continued in the village. Police said the investigation is ongoing and warned that anyone found sheltering the remaining suspects would face legal action.