Kannada actor, Vinod shot dead by film producer

Bangalore, Oct 8: In a startling incident, Kannada film producer, Govardhan Murthy allegedly killed a budding actor Vinod Kumar on Tuesday, Oct 7 by shooting from a 7.7 mm pistol following a drunken brawl. Vinod Kumar, 31, was trying to stop a drunken argument between his friend Shankar Reddy and realtor-turned-producer Govardhan Murthy, 37, when he was shot twice in the stomach and chest. The incident happened around 1:30 am at a farmhouse in Hosur Bande near Bagalur, Devanahalli.

Murthy then drove away while Reddy took the actor to Satya Sai Hospital and later to Manipal hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. Kumar, held in high esteem by the film industry here, had acted in Ghulaama, slated for release soon. He was shooting for two other films.

Scene at the party

Police said "Vinod and Reddy had been invited to Murthy's farmhouse last night in Bagalur on the city's outskirts. A little after 1:30 am, Reddy and Murthy went out to the garden for a chat. Soon, an argument broke out and Kumar heard gunshots."

Four security guards of the farm, sitting outside the club house, also had a drunken argument. One of them, Tripaty, opened fire in the air thrice. At this point, Vinod rushed out and asked what was going on and where the bullets had landed. An enraged Murthy allegedly shot him at point-blank range, exclaiming: “The bullet you are looking for is inside you."

When Vinod, who received bullet injuries in his stomach, lay in a pool of blood, Govardhan came to senses and began pleading with other guests to save him.

The police, who are looking for Murthy, said they would file a case of murder. Murthy, who made his fortune in real estate, turned producer two years ago and has produced a couple of films, including the hit Madesha, which portrays the underworld.

Film personalities flocked to see Kumar's body today and mourned the loss to the industry.

OneIndia News