Bengaluru: A heated argument over washing legs with tap water inside a paying guest accommodation ended in tragedy when the establishment’s owner, 37-year-old Madhav Metli, was beaten to death near Kasturinagar Main Road in east Bengaluru Monday evening.Police swung into action and arrested the two accused students — Rakesh, 21, a resident of Cox Town, and Don Brite Son, 20, from Jeevanahalli — within nine hours of the incident.The deceased, Madhav, was the owner of Lakshmi Narasimha PG for Gents. He, along with his wife and two children, was staying on the ground floor of the building, while the upper floors were converted into a PG accommodation. Madhav’s family, from Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, came to the city 15 years ago.Based on preliminary investigation, police said Madhav spotted the two-wheeler-borne Rakesh and Don using water from a tap on the PG premises around 6.30pm. He confronted them while they were washing their legs and asked if they were residents of the building. When the boys replied they weren’t, Madhav shouted at them for entering the premises without permission and using the tap water. What began as a verbal argument quickly spiralled into a violent altercation.According to police, the dispute intensified when the accused started abusing Madhav in filthy language. Rakesh and Madhav allegedly manhandled each other. Angered, Madhav picked up a cricket bat and swung it towards the duo, only for the youths to snatch it after overpowering him. By then, all three were on the road in front of the PG.Rakesh allegedly attacked Madhav with the bat, while Don assaulted and kicked him, causing injuries all over his body. Madhav received a hard blow to his head. On hearing Madhav’s screams, his family and a few residents rushed to his aid, prompting the boys to throw the bat and flee on their two-wheeler.Madhav was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Ramamurthy Nagar police registered a case under Section 103 (murder) of the BNS based on the complaint filed by Madhav’s wife Sunitha.DCP (east) Vikram Amathe said the accused, who have been friends for years, do not have any criminal background. While Rakesh is a student of CMR College, Don is a dropout from the same institute.A senior officer said the duo had consumed alcohol at a bar about 3km away from the PG and were returning to their area on a two-wheeler. On their way, they stopped near the PG to relieve themselves.“Madhav was a very good man. The two youngsters assaulted him with a cricket bat on the road. They were assaulting him as if they were cleaning dust from a mattress. While I was cleaning my house, I heard a noise. I opened the gate and peeped outside. I thought people who had come from a bar were fighting one another. I went inside the house out of fear. An hour later, I got to know what had happened,” said Sai Karuna Chandra, a resident of the area.
