Bantwal: Lavanya murder accused Chetan taken into police custody after 11 days of treatment

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jul 28, 2026: Bantwal Town Police on Monday, July 27, officially took into custody Chetan, the prime accused in the murder of Lavanya at the KSRTC bus stand in BC Road on July 16. The accused, a resident of Odilnala in Belthangady, was taken into custody 11 days after the incident, following his recovery from injuries and discharge from Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru.

According to police, Chetan had brutally hacked Lavanya, a young woman from Kakyapadavu, to death with a sharp weapon in a public place. After committing the crime, he fled the scene in a car but was apprehended by police in Mangaluru the following day.

Police said the accused had allegedly consumed poison after the murder. He was initially admitted to the Bantwal Government Hospital and later shifted to Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru for advanced treatment.

After receiving treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU), Chetan’s condition improved and he was shifted to the general ward. Following his complete recovery and on the advice of doctors, police formally took him into custody.

The investigation is being carried out under the guidance of Bantwal Assistant Superintendent of Police Yash Kumar Sharma, with Bantwal Town Police Inspector Ananthapadmanabha leading the probe. The accused is likely to be produced before a court on Tuesday.