Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
In a disturbing incident reportedly inspired by the Renukaswamy murder case, a young man in Bengaluru’s Soladevanahalli was abducted and brutally assaulted by a group of individuals after he allegedly sent obscene messages to a woman he had previously been in a relationship with. Police said the attackers invoked the Renukaswamy case during the assault, threatening a similar fate for the victim and even recording the attack.
The victim, identified as Kushal, had been in a relationship with a college student for over two years before the couple broke up. The woman has since entered a new relationship. Following the breakup, Kushal is said to have sent obscene and offensive messages to the woman, prompting her, her new partner, and his friends to orchestrate the assault.
Police said the group lured Kushal to a location under the pretext of resolving the dispute. Once there, they kidnapped him in a car and took him to an isolated area near a lake. The group, believed to comprise eight to ten individuals, allegedly stripped Kushal and beat him mercilessly with rods and sticks, including on his private parts.
One of the accused reportedly recorded the assault. In the video, the attackers are heard referencing the Renukaswamy murder, a high-profile case involving Kannada actor Darshan, comparing Kushal to Renukaswamy and themselves to “accused number one, two, and three.” The group is seen laughing and threatening to circulate the video on social media.
The Soladevanahalli police have arrested eight persons so far, including four identified as Hemant, Yashwanth, Shivashankar, and Shashank Gowda. They have been charged under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to kidnapping. The investigation is ongoing.
Renukaswamy murder case
In June 2024, Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, his partner Pavithra Gowda, and a group of associates allegedly orchestrated the abduction, torture, and murder of Renukaswamy, a 33‑year‑old pharmacist from Chitradurga.
Renukaswamy allegedly sent lewd messages to Darshan’s long-time partner, Pavithra Gowda. In retaliation, Darshan allegedly conspired with his fans Raghavendra, Jagadish, and Ravi, who abducted Renukaswamy from Chitradurga. They brought him to a shed 200 km away in Bengaluru, where they tortured him for hours. When he died of his injuries, they dumped his body in a gutter near an apartment complex.