Two from Maharashtra arrested for killing man in Nippani

The police arrested two men on the charge of killing a man in Nippani of Belagavi on Saturday.The accused and the victim are from Maharashtra.Twentytwo-year-old Yuvaraj Virupaksha Munnoli of Hole Hitni and 21-year-old Swapnil Shivanand Rampure of Nilaji, both from Kolhapur district, hacked to death 52-year-old Mohammad Shamsheer Khalif of Hole Hitni village.They lured him to a hill near Tavandi village near Nippani in Belagavi district on August 25 and crushed his head with a stone.Yuvaraj Munnoli was in a relationship with the elder daughter of Khalif, for two-three years. The issue was previously settled in a village panchayat involving elders. But it sparked enmity between Yuvaraj and the deceased.The deceased recently became close to a village elder named Raosaheb Patil who was Yuvaraj’s employer earlier.Suspecting that Mohammad Khalif and Raosaheb Patil were conspiring to attack him, Yuvaraj, along with his friend Swapnil Rampure, lured the deceased to the Tavandi hills under the pretext of questioning him.Following a heated altercation, both accused attacked the victim with a lethal weapon and crushed him with a heavy stone before fleeing the scene.The victim’s wife, 35-year-old Nasima Mohammad Khalif, lodged a complaint with the Nippani Rural Police stating that unknown individuals took her husband on a motorcycle on August 25-August 26 and murdered him in Tavandi village.Considering the gravity of the case, Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan formed a special investigation team comprising the Nippani Circle Inspector, Nippani Rural Sub-Inspector and staff.Upon receiving credible information that the suspects were hiding in Pune, Maharashtra, the team went to Pune, apprehended both and brought them in for questioning.The Superintendent of Police, meanwhile, congratulated the police team, said a release. Published - August 30, 2026 06:38 pm IST