Darshan arrest: Gruesome details of violent torture, murder over lewd messages to Pavithra Gowda emerge

Shocking details have emerged from the probe into the murder of a man who allegedly made derogatory comments against the friend and co-star of leading Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa.

According to police sources, Renukaswamy (33) drew the wrath of Darshan for making lewd comments against Pavithra Gowda on her social media posts. "It was Pavithra who instigated Darshan to punish Renukaswamy. Accordingly, the plan was hatched," they said.

Renukaswamy hailed from Lakshmi Venkateshwara Layout in Chitradurga and worked with a pharmacy company. "Darshan engaged the Chitradurga unit of Darshan Fan Club Convenor Raghavendra alias Raghu, who obtained all information about Renukaswamy." Renukaswamy's wife Sahana said Raghavendra picked up her husband on Friday night from near their house. The victim was abducted and taken to a shed in Kamakshipalya area in Bengaluru, the sources said.

"Darshan beat up Renukaswamy with a belt. After he fell unconscious, his accomplices thrashed him with sticks. Further, they threw him against a wall, which proved fatal," they said adding there were multiple bone fractures all over his body. After he died, his body was dumped in a stormwater drain. A food delivery boy who noticed dogs eating a human body alerted the police.

When the police were working on the case, two accused approached Kamakshipalya police and "confessed" to having killed Renukaswamy over a financial dispute. As the investigation progressed, police found out Darshan and Pavithra's involvement. Darshan, his friend and film actress Pavithra Gowda, and 11 others were arrested in connection with Renukaswamy's murder on Tuesday. The 47-year-old actor has been remanded to six days' police custody by a court.

Four associates Darshan were on Wednesday taken to Pattanagere here, where the crime was committed, for spot 'mahazar', police sources said. Nikhil, Vinay, Karthik and Raghavendra were among the 12 associates who were arrested, along with Darshan, on Tuesday for the recent murder of Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor. The four were accused of dumping the body in a storm-water drain here.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI

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