A youth was hacked to death on Monday night at Nidigere village in Sakleshpur taluk for informing police about illegal sand mining in Hemavathi waters.
Police have arrested four persons in connection with the murder and registered cases against 15 people, including former zilla panchayat member D C Sannaswamy.
The victim, identified as Ajay Sakbal (27), a resident of the village, had informed the police control room about illegal sand mining and the presence of excavators and lorries on the river basin.
Arun Sakbal, the victim’s elder brother in a complaint to the police, has stated that a 15-member gang intercepted Ajay’s vehicle and attacked him with lethal weapons, killing him on the spot.
Members of various dalit organisations blocked the Bengaluru-Mangaluru highway demanding CID probe into the murder.
They also sought a CBI probe into illegal sand mining in the taluk.
Published 19 July 2016, 19:34 IST