Dharwad, 3 March

A case initially registered as a fatal road accident in Dharwad has been revealed as a premeditated murder, with dashcam footage playing a crucial role. Lalita Hattaragi, 43, died on 26 February on Savadatti Road in Dharwad after being hit from behind by a vehicle.

Police initially treated it as an accident, but her father’s suspicion prompted a reinvestigation by Dharwad Rural Police. 

A breakthrough came from dashcam footage recorded by a bus following the vehicle, which showed a black Mahindra Thar deliberately ramming Lalita. The vehicle’s absence of a number plate further raised suspicion.

Police later discovered that Lalita’s husband, Uday Hattaragi, allegedly planned her murder amid longstanding marital disputes.

The couple had been in conflict for over a decade, with Lalita seeking two acres of land as part of a settlement, which her husband refused.

Uday reportedly hired contract killers for Rs 40 lakh and lured Lalita to a location near Amminabhavi village under the pretext of settling their dispute.

As she walked along the roadside, she was struck and killed. Four accused, including Uday, have been arrested, with the vehicle seized. The case is now registered as murder.