Two men acquitted in Udupi canteen worker murder case

Udupi (Karnataka) Jun 21 (PTI) The Second Additional District and Sessions Court in Udupi on Friday acquitted two men who were charged with the murder of a 52-year-old canteen worker near Udupi railway station.

The incident occurred on July 21, 2022.

The presiding judge, Dinesh Hegde, ruled in favour of the accused, Vignesh Kutti (24) from Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, and Naveen Kumar (27) from Mallatha Halli, Bengaluru, citing insufficient evidence linking them to the crime.

The victim, Kumar, worked at a canteen near Udupi railway station in the Indrali area. He was fatally beaten after an altercation.

Forensic experts from Manipal, who conducted the post-mortem examination, noted a fresh injury on Kumar’s face, with the fracture wound containing blood and clots. The inquest report confirmed that the fatal injuries were sustained by the canteen worker.

According to the police, the accused attacked Kumar with a wooden club during a heated argument. The severity of the assault led to Kumar’s death on the spot. Subsequently, Vignesh Kutti and Naveen Kumar were arrested, and a charge sheet was filed against them.

After examining 21 witnesses, the court concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish the guilt of the accused. Advocate Cherkady Akhil B Hegde argued in favour of the two men during the trial. PTI CORR AMP AMP ANE