Former MLA’s son murder takes shocking turn in Dharwad, three arrested

Dharwad,  : The murder of a former MLA’s son in Dharwad district has taken a sensational turn, with police suspecting a premeditated crime linked to a personal relationship. The charred body of 53-year-old Raju Bolashetti, son of former Bailhongal MLA Baburao Bolashetti, was found inside a burnt car in a forest area near Ramapur on Tuesday.

The gruesome discovery was made in a dense forest stretch near railway tracks in Ramapur village under Dharwad taluk. The body was burnt beyond recognition, triggering widespread shock across the district. Initial suspicions pointed towards a planned murder, which have now been strengthened following the arrest of three  accused.

According to police sources, the crime is believed to have stemmed from an alleged illicit relationship between the victim and a woman. Raju was reportedly in contact with the woman and used to give her money frequently under the pretext of loans. It is said that he had given her over ₹2 lakh, leading to disputes between them in recent times.

On the day of the incident, Raju had allegedly called the woman to a  field  for a meeting. Police investigations suggest that the woman, along with her son and another associate believed to be her partner, conspired to murder him. The trio allegedly attacked Raju and killed him before attempting to destroy evidence.

In a chilling attempt to cover up the crime, the accused are said to have transported the body in Raju’s own car to the forest area. They reportedly placed the  body on the back seat and poured around 10 litres of petrol before setting the vehicle ablaze. The  car was gutted, leaving behind a charred skeleton, which made initial identification difficult.

Following the incident, the accused had fled the scene. However, the   Police acted swiftly and launched an intensive operation. Within a few hours, all three suspects were tracked down and taken into custody, bringing a crucial breakthrough in the case.

Police officials said further investigation is underway to gather more evidence and establish the sequence of events in detail. The  incident has sent shockwaves across the region, raising concerns over rising incidents of violent crimes linked to personal disputes.