Bengaluru: An auto driver, who went missing for a week, was allegedly murdered and buried by his friends behind Apollo Hospital on Bannerghatta Road.

The reason behind the murder is said to be a quarrel between the friends over a girl and the police exhumed the body on Monday evening.

The deceased, Tilak, 22, was a resident of Thayappa Garden in Bilekahalli. He was married and has a child. The police arrested his friends Kaddi Naga of Arakere, George and two others for the murder.

Tilak, an auto driver,was missing and his family had filed a complaint with Mico Layout police station a week ago. Investigations revealed that Tilak had a relationship with a girl. Accused George also was in love with the same girl.

It is said that recently, Tilak had dumped her and allegedly made lewd comments about her. This upset George, who quarreled with Tilak on several occasions. He had also warned Tilak to mend his ways, but Tilak had not changed.

“George discussed the issue with Kaddi Naga and two others, who happened to be Tilaks friends. They all conspired to murder Tilak. They took him to an isolated place behind Apollo Hospital, where they made him consume alcohol and murdered him by smashing his head with a stone. Later, they buried the body. The murder came to light when they were questioned as part of the investigation,” the police said. The Mico Layout police are conducting the further investigation.