Brother kills sister over property dispute on Ugadi in Dharwad village

Dharwad  A gruesome murder over a property dispute has shocked residents of Amminabhavi village in Dharwad district, where a man allegedly hacked his own sister to death on the day of Ugadi.

The victim has been identified as Shivaleela Sangolli (35), while the accused is her elder brother Hanumantha Elevaal, who is currently absconding. According to police, the siblings were embroiled in a dispute over ancestral agricultural land.

Sources said the Elevaal family owned around six acres of farmland in the village. Shivaleela had been insisting on her rightful share in the property for the past few days, leading to frequent arguments within the family.

On Ugadi, which marks the beginning of the New Year, both the brother and sister had gone to the farmland to perform bhoomi puja. However, tensions escalated when Shivaleela reportedly insisted on conducting the ritual on the portion of land she claimed as her share.

The disagreement soon turned violent. In a fit of rage, Hanumantha allegedly attacked his sister with a sharp weapon and brutally hacked her to death on the spot. The incident turned what should have been a day of celebration into one of horror, with the victim’s blood spilled on the very land she sought to claim.

Local residents alerted the police, following which personnel from Dharwad Rural Police Station rushed to the scene and conducted an inspection. The body was later shifted for postmortem examination.

Police have registered a case of murder and launched a manhunt to trace the आरोपी. Preliminary investigations indicate that the crime was a result of escalating tensions over property division.

The shocking incident has once again highlighted how family disputes over land and inheritance continue to lead to violent outcomes in rural areas. Villagers expressed grief and outrage, stating that such a heinous act on a festive day like Ugadi has left the entire community shaken.

Further investigation is underway.