Police crack honeytrap robbery racket in Davangere as Channagiri Gram Panchayat member is hacked to death in separate case
Davangere: Two major criminal incidents reported from Karnataka’s Davangere district have created panic among residents after police arrested a honeytrap gang accused of targeting wealthy youths, while a separate murder case involving a Gram Panchayat member shocked Channagiri taluk.
In the first case, Davangere Rural Police arrested five individuals allegedly involved in honeytrap operations and robbery targeting affluent young men. In another incident, a Gram Panchayat member was brutally murdered in Nallur village over alleged financial disputes and family enmity.
Davangere Honeytrap Gang Targeted Wealthy Youths
Police officials said the arrested accused include Panchami, Jagadish, Ganga Mallesh Nayak, and Venkatesh.
According to investigators, the gang allegedly targeted wealthy youths through planned honeytrap operations. Police stated that Panchami allegedly befriended affluent young men and lured them to isolated areas.
In one such incident, a youth was reportedly taken to a deserted stretch near Shivanahalli Road in Harihar taluk. Police said other gang members, who were waiting nearby, suddenly attacked the victim and robbed him of gold ornaments before fleeing from the scene.
Authorities confirmed that gold ornaments worth nearly Rs 10.20 lakh and the Innova vehicle allegedly used in the crime were seized during the investigation.
“The gang is suspected to have cheated several more victims using similar methods,” police sources stated.
Davangere Rural Police have intensified the investigation to identify possible additional victims and links to other robbery cases in the region.
Channagiri Gram Panchayat Member Murder Shocks District
In a separate incident, Ataullah, a Gram Panchayat member from Nallur village in Channagiri taluk, was brutally murdered late at night by unidentified bike-borne attackers.
Police stated that the assailants allegedly attacked him with sharp weapons, including an areca nut cutter and machetes, causing fatal injuries.
Investigators revealed that Ataullah was reportedly involved in the used-car business and had allegedly borrowed Rs 2 lakh from a relative in Kagekodumaggi village of Bhadravati taluk.
Family Enmity And Debt Angle Under Investigation
According to preliminary police investigation, the murder may have been linked to financial disputes as well as old family rivalries. Officials suspect that tensions had escalated after Ataullah reportedly married another woman instead of his relative’s daughter, leading to resentment within the family.
Police are probing allegations that contract killers were allegedly hired to execute the murder.
The names of suspected individuals, including Sheikh Dastugiri and Zabiullah from Bhadravati taluk, have surfaced during the investigation.
Channagiri police have registered a case and launched a search operation to trace the accused involved in the murder.
