Crime

Surathkal: Elder Brother Arrested for Hacking Younger Brother to Death

By Editor

Posted on July 20, 2026

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Surathkal: Elder Brother Arrested for Hacking Younger Brother to Death

Mangaluru : A horrific incident of fratricide was reported from Chokkabettu under the limits of the Surathkal police station on the night of July 19, where a young man brutally hacked his younger brother to death using an axe. The feud reportedly broke out over the younger brother talking to a girl on his mobile phone.

The deceased has been identified as Mallikarjun, while the Surathkal police have successfully apprehended his 21-year-old elder brother, Somanath, in connection with the gruesome murder.

Hailing originally from Tagyala village in Kustagi taluk of Koppal district, the brothers—Somanath and Mallikarjun—had been residing in a rented house on Katipalla village’s Chokkabettu Krishna Matha Road alongside their mother for the past five years, working daily wage jobs. According to police reports, at around 11:00 PM on July 19, Mallikarjun was engaged in a phone call with a girl. Somanath objected to this, leading to a heated argument where Mallikarjun allegedly verbally abused his elder brother dismissively.

Enraged by the disrespect, Somanath waited until Mallikarjun fell asleep later that night. He then picked up an axe available in the house and repeatedly struck his sleeping brother on the head and face, inflicting deadly injuries that caused his immediate death before fleeing the scene. Following the incident, the Surathkal police registered a case and initiated a swift investigation, ultimately tracing Somanath hiding inside a bush near the Krishnapura Matha Road area. Upon interrogation, the accused confessed to committing the crime and is scheduled to be presented before the court for legal proceedings.