Family feud turns deadly in Karnataka: Son hires killers to murder parents, brother; Hitmen kill 3 guests by mistake

In a shocking turn of events in Karnataka's Gadag, the planned murder of a family took a horrifying twist, resulting in the tragic deaths of three unsuspecting guests. The police revealed that Vinayak Bakale, embroiled in a property dispute with his parents and stepbrother, allegedly orchestrated a supari (contract killing) for Rs 65 lakh. His intention was to eliminate his parents and stepbrother, Kartik Bakale, to settle the dispute.

Guests targeted instead

However, the hired killers mistakenly targeted three guests of the Bakale family, assuming them to be the intended victims. The victims, Parashuram Hadimani, his wife Laxmibai, and their daughter Akanksha, were mercilessly hacked to death in the early hours of Friday. Stepbrother Kartik was killed when he ran upstairs hearing screams. 

Financial disputes

Vinayak, the elder son from his father's first marriage, had contentious relations with his family over property matters. Recent attempts by Vinayak to sell assets registered in his name faced opposition from his father, Prakash Bakale, leading to escalating tensions.

Dattatreya Bakale, another son from Prakash's first marriage, was initially suspected due to strained relations with the family over alleged fraudulent activities. Exploiting this suspicion, Vinayak orchestrated the murders, expecting the blame to fall on Dattatreya.

Police apprehends 8 individuals

The police arrested eight individuals, including Vinayak Bakale, in connection with the gruesome murders. The suspects, hailing from Karnataka and Maharashtra, were apprehended in a 72-hour operation. DG&IGP Alok Mohan commended the investigative team with a Rs 5-lakh reward for their efforts in solving the case.