Lagatar24 Desk
Bengaluru: A 45-year-old software professional, Murali Govindaraju, died by suicide inside his under-construction house in Nallurahalli after facing alleged harassment from neighbours and mounting pressure from civic officials. Hours before his scheduled appearance before the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), he was found hanging, leaving behind a 10-page death note accusing a neighbouring family and some officials of driving him to the breaking point.
How A Neighbourhood Dispute Turned Into A Nightmare
Murali, an IT employee at ITPL and father of two minor girls, had been building what was meant to be his dream home. According to the death note and a criminal complaint filed by his mother, he was repeatedly harassed by neighbours Shashi Nambiar and Usha, who allegedly demanded Rs 20 lakh to withdraw accusations of building plan violations. The couple reportedly filed multiple complaints with civic authorities, prompting repeated site inspections and notices that caused financial distress and emotional anxiety for Murali.
Civic Pressures And Extortion Allegations Intensified The Crisis
GBA officials had issued a notice asking Murali to appear before them on Wednesday — the same day he died. He wrote that he could not afford the alleged Rs 20 lakh demand and felt trapped between legal pressure and threats from the neighbouring family. Police say preliminary findings indicate the couple had made similar complaints against other homeowners over the years, allegedly using activism as a cover for extortion. The arrested neighbours have been remanded to 14-day judicial custody, while their son remains absconding.
