Kanakapura

daughter

Yelahanka

Police

Victoria

The deceased has been identified as Kumaraswamy V

me Venkatesh

Basavaraju

Silk trader had loaned Rs 22 lakh to accused; instead of repaying, he doused him with petrol and lit a matchA 38-year-old city-based businessman was set ablaze by three men, who owed him money. The gang took him to a deserted place inwhere they first tied him up and then beat him. Despite being on fire, the victim managed to call hisand inform her about the incident.The deceased has been identified as Kumaraswamy V, a resident ofand is a owner of silk business.said that the incident took place on March 5 and he succumbed on the next day morning inhospital due to severe burn injuries. His wife, Veena, has filed a complaint with the Kanakapura Rural police. Kumaraswamy is survived by his wife and a 19-year-old daughter.Veena told the police the accused, Venkatesh had taken Rs 22 lakh from Kumaraswamy and failed to return it. From past four to five months, the accused had been making him run around and had even stopped responding to his calls.On the day of the incident, Kumaraswamy had left his house at 11.15 am saying that he had some work. “My husband called us around 3.50 pm and told us that he would be a little late as he was meeting Venkatesh and receive the money he had lent him. We expected him by 8pm and after he had not returned even after 8.30 pm, we kept calling him. At 11.15 pm when my daughter called him, he told us that the accused had taken him to Kunuru-Hulibele Road, where they tied him and beat him up. After the call, we called our relative, Siddappa, and he along with others rushed to the spot and found my husband who was set ablaze. They then rushed him to a hospital where he was directed to be taken to Victoria hospital,” she stated. “While he was undergoing treatment, my husband toldand another person had taken him to Kanakapura in their car, they tied his hands, doused him with petrol and set him ablaze. He removed his clothes and managed to speak to our daughter on the phone,” she said.An officer said Kumaraswamy was on fire when he made the calls and informed his family about the incident. He succumbed the next morning. We have gathered information about the accused,” he said.