‘You have two wives, I don’t have even one’: Son beats father to death over marriage dispute. india news

Last updated:January 09, 2026, 17:23 IST

Police said Ningraja had been troubled for many years about being unmarried at the age of 35, as many of his friends and relatives in the village were already married and had children.

In many villages of Karnataka, marriage negotiations are often given undue importance. Expectations quietly rise, comparisons with peers become routine, and the pressure increases year after year. It appears that this pressure in Chitradurga district has turned into a tragedy that has shocked the entire community.

Late on Wednesday night, a 35-year-old farmer allegedly killed his own father in a fit of rage due to long-standing frustration over his unmarried status. What started as a familiar family argument ended in violence that no one could have imagined.

what happened that night

The incident occurred in Hosdurga town of Chitradurga district. The accused S Ningaraja is accused of attacking his father T Sannaningappa with an iron rod while the elderly man was sleeping in his house.

Police say Ningraja attacked his father on the head, causing serious injuries. Family members took Sannaningappa to a nearby hospital, but doctors declared him brought dead.

The brutality of the act has shocked residents of the area, many of whom described the family as ordinary farmers who had never been associated with serious violence before.

years of anger

Investigators believe the motive goes far beyond an argument. According to the police, Ningraja had been upset for many years about being unmarried at the age of thirty-five, especially because many of his friends and relatives in the village were already married and had children.

This disappointment reportedly turned into resentment towards her father, whom she accused of failing to arrange a marriage for her. During the attack Ningaraja is said to have shouted at his father accusing him of hypocrisy. He reportedly shouted that his father had two wives, but he himself did not have one.

This statement has become the focus of the police investigation, pointing to the emotional turmoil and anger that may have motivated the crime.

quarrel before violence

Family sources told police that tension had increased that evening. During the dinner, Ningaraja reportedly argued with his father once again about the marriage.

The discussion quickly became heated. It is said that during the fight, he threatened his father and said that he would kill him.

At the time, no one in the family believed that the threat would be made. There had been a fight earlier also regarding marriage, however, this time the anger did not subside with the night. A few hours later, the family learned of the unimaginable situation.

How was the crime revealed?

A relative who learned about the attack immediately contacted Ningaraja’s elder brother, S Maruthi, who works in a private company in Hosadurga town.

Maruti immediately reached home and found his father injured. By the time they reached the hospital, it was too late.

He later lodged a police complaint, detailing the family tension and the events of the night. On the basis of this, the police registered a case of murder and arrested Ningraja.

He is currently in custody as the investigation continues.

a troubled relationship at home

Police sources say that even before the incident, there were tense relations between father and son.

Sannaningappa reportedly scolded Ningaraja several times for his lack of commitment to agricultural work. He often urged his son to become more responsible and take his duties seriously.

This, coupled with the unresolved issue of marriage, appears to have created a cycle of resentment and frustration inside the house.

Investigators believe the crime was not impulsive but the result of years of emotional conflict that eventually turned violent.

A mirror of social pressure in rural families

Beyond the crime, the case has reopened difficult conversations about the intense social pressures surrounding marriage in rural communities.

In many villages, remaining unmarried beyond a certain age is seen as a failure not only of the individual but of the family. This often leads to constant questioning, comparison, and criticism, which can take a huge toll emotionally.

Psychologists say unresolved frustration, when combined with family conflict and social stigma, can sometimes explode in destructive ways.

Although no one can justify violence, experts say cases like this highlight the urgent need to address mental health and emotional support in rural areas, where such issues often go unspoken.

A community in shock

In Hosadurga, neighbors are still struggling to process what happened.

People who know the family say that they never thought that a dispute over marriage would turn into murder. Many have described the incident as a painful reminder of how uncontrolled anger and pressure can destroy lives in a matter of moments.

At present the police investigation is going on. But the damage to a family is irreparable. A father lost his life, a son spends the rest of his life behind bars, and a community asking how an argument turned into a tragedy that no one can fix.