Bengaluru: A 42-year-old man was allegedly murdered by his friend after the two consumed alcohol near a bar in RK Township Layout in Yarandahalli, near Bommasandra, on the night of March 25. The accused, identified as 30-year-old Basudev Mallick, is said to have stuffed the victim’s body into a plastic gunny bag before fleeing.The deceased, Sunil Nayak, worked as a construction labourer. Mallick, a native of Odisha, was also employed as a construction worker and was known to Nayak.Nayak lived with his wife, Pushpa, in a rented house in Police Layout, Yarandahalli. On March 26, when he failed to return home, Pushpa informed their landlord, Anand N, that her husband had been missing since the previous afternoon. He had left home after lunch and was unreachable by phone.Anand, along with Pushpa and her relatives, began searching for Nayak. During the search, they discovered a gunny bag in an empty plot near the bar. On opening it, they found Nayak’s body stuffed inside.A case of murder was registered, and during investigation, police found that Nayak and Mallick had purchased liquor at a bar. Based on the clues, police began searching for Mallick. After nabbing the accused, police learned that Mallick had allegedly developed intentions to be in a relationship with Pushpa and believed that eliminating Nayak would clear the way for him.On the night of the incident, Mallick slit Nayak’s throat when he was under the influence of alcohol. He then stuffed his body in a gunny bag with a plan to dispose it elsewhere. However, noticing people near the bar, he abandoned the body at the empty space.Mallick told police that a couple of days before the murder, Pushpa told him that Nayak had assaulted her over trivial issues under the influence of alcohol. She also told him that her husband often fought with her after returning home from work. As Mallick had feelings for her, he killed Nayak. Police recovered the knife from the accused. Deputy commissioner of police (Electronics City) M Narayana said Pushpa had no role in the crime. He clarified that she had merely shared her personal difficulties with Mallick and sought his emotional support.
