An 18-year-old hotel worker, who was brutally assaulted and tortured, succumbed to injuries in Khanapur taluk of Belagavi district.
The deceased has been identified as Venkappa Maiyekar, a resident of Manikawadi. He had been employed at the Swaraj Hotel, located on the outskirts of Khanapur, for the past three months. On August 20, hotel owner Nagesh Gundu Bedare and his brother Vijay Bedare allegedly accused him of theft, confined him, and subjected him to severe assault.
The grievously injured youth was admitted to BIMS Hospital, where treatment proved unsuccessful, leading to his death. It is alleged that the hotel owner offered ₹10,000 to the victim’s parents and threatened them against filing a complaint. Out of fear, they initially refrained from approaching the police.
After the villagers learned about the incident, they supported the victim’s family in filing a complaint with Khanapur Police Station. A murder case has since been registered. The grieving parents, who lost their only son, are demanding justice.
