Man Arrested After Friend Killed Inside Temple Premises Over Mobile Phone Dispute

A shocking murder case has emerged from Karnataka’s Belagavi district, where a dispute over a mobile phone allegedly ended in the death of a 40 year old man. Police have arrested the accused within hours of the incident and are continuing their investigation to determine the exact sequence of events.

The incident took place in Chikkabudanur village of Savadatti taluk. According to police, the victim, Fakirappa Piddennavar, was reportedly killed by his friend Mallikarjun Poojeri after an argument related to the return of a mobile phone. The case has left villagers shocked, as what began as a minor disagreement reportedly escalated into a violent crime.

Initial information suggests that Fakirappa had taken Mallikarjun’s mobile phone a couple of days earlier. Despite repeated requests, the phone was allegedly not returned. Police sources said the accused had approached the victim several times asking for the device, but each time he was told it would be handed back later.

On the day of the incident, Mallikarjun is said to have once again met Fakirappa and asked for his mobile phone. Reports indicate that the victim again assured him the phone would be returned later, leading to another heated exchange between the two.

Later that evening, Fakirappa was resting inside the premises of the Lakshmi temple in the village. Investigators believe the accused reached the temple and once again demanded the return of the phone. When the phone was allegedly not handed over immediately, the argument reportedly turned violent.

According to the preliminary investigation, the accused allegedly lifted a large stone used in the temple premises and struck the victim on the head while he was lying down. Fakirappa suffered severe head injuries and died at the scene due to heavy bleeding. After the attack, the accused allegedly fled from the area.

Local residents noticed the victim lying in a pool of blood inside the temple premises and immediately informed the Muragod Police Station. Police officers reached the spot, secured the area, conducted an initial inspection, and sent the body for postmortem examination as part of the investigation.

A search operation was launched soon after the crime was reported. Within a few hours, Muragod police traced and arrested Mallikarjun, who was allegedly attempting to evade arrest. He is currently in police custody while investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The case has once again highlighted how personal disputes can take a tragic turn when conflicts are allowed to escalate. Police are collecting evidence and recording witness statements to establish the complete facts before filing the final charges in the case.