Renukaswamy murder case: Actor Darshan and gang are ‘demons’, says victim’s father

PTI, Sep 5, 2024, 5:09 PM IST

Chitradurga: Expressing anguish over the latest picture of Renukaswamy which has emerged on social media, the victim’s parents called the jailed Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his accomplices ‘demons’ for allegedly torturing their son to death.

The photograph shows a shirtless Renukaswamy pleading for mercy before he was allegedly murdered. There were also several injury marks all over his body.

Renukaswamy’s father Kashinath S Shivanagoudru claimed that the developments have had adverse effect on their pregnant daughter-in-law these days.

“After seeing the photograph which has gone viral, we are confused. We don’t know what to say and how to react. We can now imagine how much he would have suffered and screamed and pleaded to them. He was tortured beyond tolerance,” Shivanagoudru said.

He said he is unable to console his daughter-in-law.

Shivanagoudru said, “My son requested Darshan and his gang members that he has a mother and a pregnant wife but they did not pardon him. They were all demons. They did not have even a trace of humanity in them.” The victim’s father lamented that Darshan and his gang members could have complained to the police.

According to police sources, 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor, had sent obscene messages to Gowda, which enraged Darshan, allegedly leading to his murder. His body was found near a stormwater drain next to an apartment in Sumanahalli here on June 9.

Raghavendra, one of the accused who is part of Darshan’s fan club in Chitradurga, had brought Renukaswamy to a shed in R R Nagar here, on the pretext that the actor wanted to meet him. It was in this shed that he was allegedly tortured and murdered.

As per the post-mortem report, Renukaswamy, a native of Chitradurga, died due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt injuries.

Police sources said Pavithra, who is accused number one, was the “major cause” for Renukaswamy’s murder, claiming that it has been proved from the probe that she instigated other accused, conspired with them, and took part in the crime.