Two held day after Dalit writer ‘killed over property dispute’

Veteran Ambedkarite Krushna Kirawale.

Veteran Ambedkarite scholar Krushna Kirawale (62) was allegedly killed on Friday over a dispute about payment of money for the sale of his bungalow, a probe by Kolhapur police has revealed. Police on Saturday arrested 35-year-old Pritam Patil, a family acquaintance, to whom Kirawale was going to sell his bungalow. Patil’s mother has also been arrested for destroying evidence as she allegedly disposed of Patil’s clothes which had blood stains on it. Patil runs a carpentry business in Kolhapur.

According to Kolhapur police, the incident took place after 3.30 pm Friday at Kirawale’s bungalow in Rajendra Nagar area in Kolhapur city. A senior police officer said, “Our investigation has revealed that Patil was going to buy Kirawale’s bungalow and the two had agreed upon a price. Some part of price was already paid to Kirawale. There was a dispute over the remaining payment.”

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On Friday, Kirawale and Patil had gone to the court for drafting and signing on an affidavit about the payment of money for the sale of the property. Around 3.30 pm, both returned to Kirawale’s bungalow. “The two had heated argument and we believe that Patil stabbed Kirawale to death in a fit of rage. After stabbing Kirawale, Patil called an acquaintance Vijay Rajput and told him what had happened. It was Rajput who later informed us,” the police said.

Cops said Kirawale’s wife Kalpana was home when the incident took place. Patil was arrested Saturday.