A 48-year-old shopkeeper who was assaulted by four youths for demanding money for the cigarettes they bought, breathed his last midway to hospital in Belagavi district on Tuesday night. The assault occurred at Bodkenatti village in Belagavi taluk when shopkeeper Yallappa Durgappa Naik demanded money for the cigarettes the youths bought at his shop. The accused who were reportedly in an inebriated state were returning from a fair and stopped at Bodakenatti village for smoking cigarette. They stopped Yallappa from closing his shop and bought cigarettes from him. Yallappa was taken to a local doctor and on his advice, he was being taken to KLE Society Hospital in Belagavi for further treatment.

Source: The Hindu February 04, 2026 13:11 UTC