Property dispute: Man plots contract killing of nephew

Mysuru: A long-running property dispute turned violent after a man allegedly hired contract killers to murder his nephew by offering a supari of Rs 37 lakh. The man and contract or supari killers, including notorious Habeeb Pasha are cooling their heels in jail.

SP Mallikarjuna Baladandi said Periyapatna police cracked the conspiracy and attempt-to-murder case by arresting accused “Timber” Raju, 57, of Periyapatna, and seven others for trying to eliminate his nephew, Praveen Kumar.

Baladandi told TOI the accused have been taken into police custody and cops are exploring invoking the Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) and the Goonda Act against a few accused who are repeatedly involved in heinous offences. Pasha has been facing 12 heinous cases, including six murder cases and four attempt-to-murder cases. One case is linked to an attack on MLA Tanveer Sait in 2019. Pasha is out on bail in these 12 cases. He was once exiled from Mysuru too.

All the accused have been booked under various provisions of BNS, including attempt to murder, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy.

Raju was trying to eliminate Praveen for over a year. He allegedly made an attempt last year, but the nephew survived. He was knocked down from a moving bike and police then took up a case of a road accident. The supari in April 2025 was given to a Safi of Dakshina Kannada. Safi was promised Rs 7 lakh to eliminate Praveen.

In the second plan, Raju gave supari to Mir Hussain alias Sultan for Rs 30 lakh, who in turn roped in Pasha and others. The second attempt occurred on April 13, when Praveen was travelling on a motorcycle. Assailants allegedly attacked him with lethal weapons, but fled when another vehicle came there, averting the assault.