- By Yashashvi Tak
- Mon, 28 Jul 2025 05:30 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A 23-year-old man, Mallikarjun, was allegedly murdered by his sister and brother-in-law in a horrifying act driven by HIV-related stigma and so-called “family honour” in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district.
According to the NDTV report, Mallikarjun, a resident of Dummi village in Holalkere taluk, had been working at a private firm in Bengaluru and often returned home to visit his family. According to police, his sister Nisha has been arrested in connection with the murder, while her husband, Manjunath, remains absconding.
Investigations revealed that the couple allegedly strangled Mallikarjun after discovering that he was HIV-positive. Fearing social disgrace, they reportedly took the extreme step to “protect” their family's reputation.
Tragically, just days before his death, on July 23, Mallikarjun was seriously injured in a road accident while returning to his village in a friend’s car. The vehicle had collided with a stationary truck, injuring both him and his friends.
Mallikarjun was initially admitted to a hospital in Chitradurga. For advanced treatment, he was later shifted to a private hospital in Davanagere, where doctors discovered he was HIV positive during routine pre-surgery blood tests. A rod was inserted into his leg during surgery, but due to severe, uncontrolled bleeding, doctors advised that he be moved to another facility.
Nisha suggested taking him to a hospital in Bengaluru. Their father, Nagarajappa, requested that Nisha and her husband, Manjunath, accompany Mallikarjun for further treatment. On the evening of July 25, Nisha informed her father that they were heading to Bengaluru. However, they returned later that day with Mallikarjun’s body, claiming he had died suddenly on the way.
Suspicious about the circumstances, Nagarajappa confronted his daughter and son-in-law. Nisha allegedly confessed that Mallikarjun had revealed his HIV status and spoke of being overwhelmed by debt, expressing a wish to end his life.
She further claimed that they strangled him with a blanket, believing his HIV diagnosis had brought shame to the family and posed a threat to their parents' health.
Based on this, Nagarajappa filed a complaint against Nisha and Manjunath at the Holalkere police station. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway.