Decapitated body of Muslim man found in Belagavi, family suspects murder over interfaith love

According to police the body was found along the railway tracks in Karnataka's Belagavi district and the victim's mother has said she suspected the involvement of the girl's family in the death.

Representative image of railway tracks. | Pixabay

Bengaluru: The decapitated body of a Muslim man found on the railway tracks in Belagavi district of Karnataka has raised suspicions of murder over an interfaith love affair. The Belagavi Railway Police had initially registered a case of unnatural death, but is now in the process of handing over investigations to the Belagavi district police. The body of the victim was found along the railway tracks in Khanapur, on 28 September morning.

“The railway police registered a UDR (unnatural Death report) as is the procedure. It was only after the post mortem that suspicious injuries and cuts were found on the body. The family was informed of these unnatural injuries and the mother of the victim filed a complaint of suspected murder on 20 September,” a senior officer from the Belagavi police told The Print.

According to police sources, the deceased, identified as 28-year-old Arbaaz, was a resident of Belagavi city.

According to a source in the police, the victim’s mother has alleged in her complaint that Arbaaz could have been murdered for being in a relationship with a Hindu girl.

A source in the railway police said that since the case is yet to be transferred by the railway police no arrests have been made.

Confirming the same, Laxman Nombaragi, Superintendent of Police, Belagavi district told ThePrint, “We are yet to receive the case and we will start investigations as soon as we take over”.

‘Murdered for interfaith love affair’

The source quoted above claimed that according to Arbaaz’s mother, he had been in a relationship with a Hindu girl from Belagavi for the past three years. The families on both sides were allegedly opposed to the relationship, but the couple hadn’t relented.

“The families finally met a few days before the incident and tried to talk things over. Both communities agreed that they should consult elders in their communities and then decide on the matter,” the senior police officer quoted above claimed.

According to the officer, Arbaaz’s mother has said in her complaint that she suspected the involvement of the girl’s family in her son’s murder.

According to a source in the railway police CCTV footage from around the railway station, mobile phone location of the victim and his recent call details were being reviewed and the railway police had also called in a few persons known to the victim for questioning.

(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)