Kolhapur: A 35-year-old priest from Ichalkaranji was found murdered in a sugar cane field across the Maharashtra-Karnataka border on Saturday, with police suspecting he was ambushed, attacked and chased into the fields before being hacked to death.
We have obtained information about the suspected attacker and are searching for him,” a senior Karnataka police officer told TOI . Police said the attack appeared to be premeditated. Police believe the attacker first intercepted Ranade on a road near the village and threw chilli powder into his eyes before launching the attack. “He was brutally murdered. Through locals, we learnt that one person stopped him and threw chilli powder into his eyes. We found a packet of chilli powder on the road. He (Ranade) may have run from the road into the sugar cane fields, but was caught and attacked there. There are several deep cuts on his body. However, the murder weapon has not yet been recovered. “We learnt about the incident in the afternoon.
The body was handed over to the family on Sunday morning and the last rites have been performed. We will immerse his ashes on Monday and then visit Sadalga police station to seek an update on the investigation,” a relative said.
Teams have been formed to gather technical evidence and encourage local residents to come forward with information,” the officer said. The victim, Mandar Ajit Ranade, was found in Mankapur village under the jurisdiction of Sadalga police station in Karnataka, about 7km from Ichalkaranji. Police suspect the murder took place in the early hours of Saturday. “We found no murder weapon at the crime scene. Once the family comes out of grief, we will call them for further details. Ranade lived in Ichalkaranji with his wife and two children.