A 45-year-old Bengaluru techie's dream of building a family home met a sad ending after he died by suicide, accusing a neighbouring family and officials of the BBMP now the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) of harassment and extortion.
A 45-year-old Bengaluru techie's dream of building a family home met a sad ending after he died by suicide, accusing a neighbouring family and officials of the BBMP now the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) of harassment and extortion. Murali Govindaraju, a resident of Brookbong Layout in Whitefield and an employee at a private software firm in ITPL, was found dead at his under-construction residence in Nallurahalli on Wednesday morning. The father of two minor daughters allegedly took the extreme step amid mounting pressure and intimidation from those he later named in his death note.
Police have arrested 64-year-old Shashi Nambiar and his wife Usha (57) on charges of abetment to suicide and extortion. Their son, Varun, is still absconding. The couple has been remanded to 14 days judicial custody.
Suicide note recovered
During the investigation, police recovered a 10-page death note in which Murali accused the Nambiars and certain GBA officials of torturing him under the guise of building-plan violations. According to the note, the family repeatedly demanded Rs 20 lakh to “settle” the alleged infractions and threatened him with continuous harassment if he refused to comply.
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His mother, Lakshmi Govindaraju (61), lodged a criminal complaint at the Whitefield police station, stating that the Nambiars had been harassing Murali for years. She alleged they instigated GBA officials to act against him and repeatedly tried to extort money. Police have booked Shashi and Usha under Sections 108 (abetment to suicide) and 308 (extortion) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Murali had bought the 40x60 sqft plot from a relative of the Nambiars in 2018, and the dispute reportedly began soon after. In her complaint, Lakshmi recounted the final conversations with her son. "When my son began constructing a house on the land, Usha and Shashi started harassing and torturing him. They repeatedly demanded Rs 20 lakh from him. When my son refused, Usha complained to BBMP officials, who came near the construction site and harassed my son. My son told me that today (Wednesday) was the deadline to pay Rs 20 lakh. My son told me that Usha and Shashi were torturing him. Bearing this in mind, he left our house (Brookbong Layout) around 6 am. He reached the under-construction house and hanged himself on the second floor. I seek legal action against Usha Nambiar and Shashi Nambiar for abetting my son's suicide through harassment."
Police confirmed that GBA officials had issued a notice asking Murali to appear before them on Wednesday, the very day he died. A senior officer revealed that the conflict stretched back years. “Investigations, so far, revealed that Usha approached BBMP, accusing Murali of violating the approved plan. Accordingly, BBMP, after making a spot inspection, issued a notice. The spat between Murali and the Nambiars dated back to 2018. The couple allegedly demanded Rs 20 lakh to stop harassing him,” the officer said.
Local residents have also accused the Nambiars of routinely extorting money in the guise of activism. "According to locals, many houses are constructed in and around Nallurahalli where Usha Nambiar plays the role of an activist. If someone is harassed or tortured by the Nambiars, we request them to come forward and file a police complaint," a senior police officer added.
