Udupi court acquits brother of murder charges

An Udupi court has cleared a man of murder charges due to lack of evidence. Vishwanath Naik, 30, was accused of killing his brother Manjunath at their home in Nalkuru village. Manjunath was found dead on March 31, 2024. The court's decision came on March 21, 2025. Judge K.S. Gangannavar noted there was not enough proof to support the charges against Vishwanath. Manjunath, the eldest of four brothers, often argued with Vishwanath, especially after his wife left him, which Vishwanath was blamed for. On the night of the incident, their mother, Gulabi, and brother Kashinath left home for a neighbor’s house. A quarrel between Vishwanath and Manjunath happened during their absence. When they returned the next day, Manjunath was dead in the verandah. Vishwanath admitted to hitting him on the head. Police arrested Vishwanath after Gulabi complained. They found a club, believed to be the weapon used, and Vishwanath's clothes from that night. However, the judge pointed out key witnesses, including Gulabi and Kashinath, were not present during the incident. The case had insufficient evidence linking the weapon to Vishwanath. The judge concluded there was no reasonable way to connect him to the crime.