Ayurvedic doctor murdered ahead of second marriage in Sirsi

Karwar : A 51-year-old Ayurvedic doctor was brutally murdered at his residence in New KHB Colony in Sirsi of Uttara Kannada district, just days before his planned second marriage, sending shockwaves across the locality.

The deceased has been identified as Ramesh Kalagutkar. According to police, unidentified assailants allegedly broke into his house and killed him before fleeing the scene. The incident came to light when relatives, who had gathered ahead of his wedding, found the door locked and received no response despite repeated knocking.

Suspicious of foul play, they broke open the door and discovered Ramesh lying dead on the bed with severe head injuries. Police believe he was attacked with a blunt object, though the exact weapon is yet to be confirmed.

Ramesh had lost his wife eight months ago and was preparing to remarry a 45-year-old woman named Annapurna. The wedding was scheduled to take place at Venkataramana Temple in Manjuguni, and preparations were reportedly in full swing. He had even invited several relatives for the ceremony.

Investigators revealed that Ramesh had recently withdrawn his first wife’s jewellery from a bank, allegedly to give it to his would-be bride. This has led to suspicion that robbery could be a possible motive, though police have not ruled out other angles.

Ramesh’s two children are said to be away—one pursuing engineering in Bengaluru and the other working as a doctor in West Bengal—leaving him alone at home.

Police teams led by SP Deepan and CPI Shashikant Verma have visited the scene and launched an investigation. Officials are examining whether valuables were stolen and are also scanning CCTV footage in nearby areas.

The murder has created panic among residents, with authorities intensifying efforts to trace the accused.