A tragic culmination of a prolonged neighbourhood dispute, pressure from civic authorities, and an alleged extortion demand of Rs 20 lakh pushed a 45-year-old software professional to end his life in Bengaluru. Murali Govindaraju was found dead on Wednesday morning inside the very house he was struggling to build, hours before he was scheduled to face civic officials.
A Desperate Final Act Before a Scheduled Hearing
Murali Govindaraju, a 45-year-old employee at ITPL and a father of two young daughters, was discovered hanging on the second floor of his under-construction home in Nallurahalli, Whitefield. The incident occurred on the morning of Wednesday, just before he was supposed to appear before officials of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). He left behind a detailed 10-page death note that named a neighbouring family and certain civic officials as the primary reasons for his extreme step.
Police, acting swiftly on the contents of the note and a complaint filed by his mother, arrested the neighbours, identified as Shashi Nambiar (64) and Usha (57), on charges of abetment to suicide and extortion. A search is underway for their son, Varun. The arrested couple has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody.
The Vicious Cycle of Harassment and Demands
According to the police and the victim's family, the conflict began in 2018 when Murali purchased a 40x60 square feet plot in Nallurahalli from a close relative of the Nambiars. The relationship deteriorated soon after construction started, with Usha and Shashi repeatedly accusing him of deviating from the approved building plan.
Murali's mother, Lakshmi Govindaraju (61), stated in her complaint that her son was "harassed, tortured and repeatedly threatened" by the couple. The alleged harassment escalated to an extortion demand of Rs 20 lakh to stop filing complaints. Murali reportedly told his mother that Wednesday was the final deadline set by the neighbours for the payment.
When Murali refused to pay, Usha allegedly lodged multiple complaints with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which led to frequent site inspections and notices. GBA officials confirmed they had issued Murali a notice to appear, based on Usha's complaints about plan violations.
Systemic Pressure and a Community's Fear
A senior police officer revealed that preliminary inquiries show the Nambiars had been filing complaints against Murali since 2018, forcing him to "run around BBMP offices, the police station, and local courts." This relentless pressure created an unbearable mental and financial strain.
In his final hours, Murali left his home in Brookbong Layout around 6 am, telling his family he was under immense pressure and that the Nambiars were "torturing" him. He then went to the unfinished house and took his own life.
The case has unearthed a pattern of alleged intimidation in the locality. Police said several local residents have now come forward, claiming that the accused couple regularly filed complaints to extort money from others under the guise of civic activism. "People in the area say many homes have faced similar harassment," the officer said, urging all affected residents to file formal complaints.
The police have registered a case under Sections 108 (abetment of suicide) and 308 (extortion) of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigation continues as authorities piece together the years of conflict that led to this devastating outcome, highlighting the severe human cost of property disputes and alleged systemic harassment.
