Mangaluru: A Hindu Jagarana Vedike (HJV) leader was brutally murdered in the midst of the Ganeshotsava celebrations held in Sampya, Puttur on Tuesday, September 3 night.

The victim has been identified as Sampya resident Karthik Suvarna (28).

The accused in the case have been identified as Charanraj, Kiran and Preethesh.

Police informed TOI that the motive behind the murder was a personal enmity between Karthik and the perpetrators of the crime.

It is learnt that at around 11.30 pm, the accused confronted Karthik and abused him. Later, during the altercation, he was stabbed in the chest multiple times with a lethal weapon, according to a police report.

The victim is said to have died on the spot while the accused fled the crime scene immediately.

A case has been registered under sections 504, 341, 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).