The dream of building his own house ended tragically for 45-year-old Bengaluru techie Murali Govindaraju, who was found dead inside his under-construction home in Nallurahalli on Wednesday morning. Hours before he was scheduled to appear before Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials, Murali was discovered hanging on the second floor of his 40x60 sqft plot, leaving behind a 10-page death note detailing alleged harassment by neighbours and civic authorities.
Neighbourhood feud and financial pressure
According to a report by the Times of India, the plot in Brookbong Layout, Whitefield, had been bought in 2018 from a relative of the neighbouring Nambiar family by Murali, a software professional at ITPL and father of two minor daughters. Soon after construction began, tensions escalated with neighbours Shashi Nambiar (64) and Usha (57), accusing him time and again of deviating from the approved plan. In his note, Murali alleged the couple demanded Rs 20 lakh to stop pressing complaints against him - a demand he said he could not meet.
Alleged harassment by officials
In a criminal complaint, Murali's mother, Lakshmi Govindaraju (61), alleged that her son was " harassed, tortured and repeatedly threatened " by the Nambiars. As per the report by the Hindustan Times, she told the police that following Murali's refusal to cough up money, the couple complained to BBMP officials, who began conducting frequent inspections and harassing him. The police said the sustained pressure and an impending notice from GBA finally took a toll on Murali's mind and finances.
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Police action and investigation
Police arrested Shashi and Usha Nambiar on charges of abetment of suicide and extortion after Murali’s death, sending them to 14-day judicial custody. Their son Varun is currently being sought by authorities. Preliminary inquiries suggest the Nambiars had filed multiple complaints since 2018, forcing Murali to deal with repeated visits to BBMP offices, the local police station, and courts, the Times of India reported. According to police, Locals have come forward, claiming similar harassment by the Nambiars and urging affected residents to file complaints.
