Bengaluru, 28 April

A freight company owner was abducted at knifepoint and murdered by a gang of unidentified men in Bengaluru on Sunday night.

The victim, Dileep, was dining with a woman at Garden Hotel in Nelamangala when five to six armed men stormed in, threatened him, and dragged him away in front of shocked onlookers. His body was found near Tumakuru the following morning, police confirmed.

Originally from Tumakuru, Dileep operated a cargo business in Dabaspet and was living in a rented house in Solur. He had separated from his first wife and was reportedly in a relationship with Amrutha, the wife of his landlord. Police sources said Amrutha left her husband to live with Dileep, a development that may have provoked resentment among her family and Dileep's acquaintances.

Investigators revealed that Dileep had recently received threat calls. Suspicion currently centres on members of Amrutha’s family, though police are examining multiple leads.

Nelamangala police have registered a case.