MADIKERI: In a shocking incident, a man, who allegedly tried to steal arecanut from a house in an estate, was shot dead by the estate owner on Friday.The incident took place at Ellukocchi at Karike village in Madikeri taluk of Kodagu district. The estate house belongs to Mundodi Honnappa. According to the police, Mundodi Honnappa had tied a bell to the door of the storeroom where he stored arecanut to safeguard it from thieves.
On Friday midnight, Mundodi Honnappa woke up to the sound of the bell and immediately headed towards the storeroom with a single barrel gun, and found the thief inside.The masked man is said to have attacked Mundodi Honnappa with a knife, prompting him to open fire in self-defence killing the former on the spot.
Mundodi Honnappa then alerted the Bhagamandala police who visited the spot and conducted a mahazar.
Investigation revealed the victim’s identity as Devangodi Ganesh, a resident of Karike. Ganesh was an estate owner who had several pending theft cases across police stations in Kodagu district, Sullia, Dakshina Kannada district and in neighbouring Kerala.He is survived by his wife and four sons, including a four-month-old baby.
Superintendent of Police Dr Suman Pannekar conducted a spot inspection.A First Information Report has been filed at Bhagamandala police station.Meanwhile, the SP confirmed that Mundodi Honnappa has been booked under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (Culpable homicide) and has been taken into custody.