Ex-IB officer’s death was likely murder over property dispute, say police

The former officer, who retired as an assistant director of the IB, was out on a walk inside the Mysore University campus on Friday evening when the vehicle hit him from the front.

The former officer, who retired as an assistant director of the IB, was out on a walk inside the Mysore University campus on Friday evening when the vehicle hit him from the front. (File)

A police official who declined to be named said: “Kulkarni was not walking not on a public road but inside the university. Not many vehicles take this road and CCTV footage also shows that it was a deliberate act. There was no registration number on the plate and we have now found that the vehicle sped away towards the Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering in the city.”

The case was registered after a statement by Kulkarni’s driver, Ningaraju, who was waiting for him in the campus.

“On Friday, we left home around 5pm and went for a walk, as usual. As I waited for him, he left for the walk. While I was waiting, one of the walkers informed me that he was hit by a car near the Biotechnology Department of the university. I rushed him to Kamakshi hospital where doctors declared he was brought dead,” Ningaraju said in his statement.

Initially, the VV Puram Traffic Police registered a case of negligent and rash driving. After the CCTV footage emerged, the case was transferred to the Jayalakshmipuram police station.

In the police complaint, Kulkarni’s son-in-law, Sanjay Angadi, accused one Madappa and his son of being behind the alleged killing.

City Police Commissioner Chandragupta Sunday said they had taken Madappa and one more person into custody for questioning.

According to police, Madappa lived near Kulkarni’s residence in Sharadadevi Nagar in Mysuru. He had allegedly constructed his house without leaving enough space, violating a bylaw of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC).

Kulkarni approached the civic body, which, on November 2, ordered Madappa to vacate the house.

Both Kulkarni’s daughter and son-in-law alleged that he was being targeted by Madappa. The former officer had also written to the local police station, the Mysuru city police commissioner and Prime Minister’s Office as well.

Kulkarni, born in 1940 in Savanur of Karnataka’s Haveri district, was a graduate from Karnataka University, Dharwad. He began working with the IB from 1963, serving in several positions for the next three decades before retiring in 1998.

The former officer, who spent his retired life in Mysuru, also authored books including ‘Facets of Terrorism in India’ and ‘Sin of National Conscience’. ‘Facets of Terrorism in India’ was released in 2019 by Nirmala Sitharaman, then defence minister.

Kulkarni had also worked with the Research and Analysis Wing and was part of a diplomatic mission abroad. He was awarded a medal by the government of Nagaland in appreciation of his service during the insurgency.

He lived with his wife Vatsala, while his son and daughter lived abroad.