Two dead, three injured in fight over land in Vijayapura

Two men died and three were injured in a fight between two families over land ownership in Tadalagi village of Vijayapura district on Friday.

Hanumant Salotagi and Manjunath Salotagi were killed when a fight broke out between members of the Salotagi and the Meti families.

The Salotagi family members had taken eight acres of land belonging to Hanumavva Meti on lease and cultivated sugarcane.

However, Hanumavva Meti’s relatives Giriyappa Meti, Ramappa Meti and Hanumanta Meti, who opposed the lease, claimed ownership of the land and wanted to cultivate the land.

The Salotagi family, along with labour, arrived at the farmland to harvest sugarcane on Friday.

But the Metis objected to their action and asked them to leave the crop and go. They said that they will not renew the lease next year but, the latter did not listen.

The altercation soon turned into a fight. The parties fought with sticks and stones lying nearby.

The three injured have been admitted in hospital and are recovering.

Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi said that a First Information Report has been registered based on a complaint by the family of the victims.

“As many as 12 people have been named in the FIR and we have already secured five of them,” he said.

Investigation is on to trace and apprehend the rest. The case has been registered in the Kolhar Police Station.