'My son has come back' says Renukaswamy's father after birth of grandson

Chitradurga: Sahana, wife of Renukaswamy, who was allegedly killed by Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and others, on Wednesday gave birth to a baby boy at a private hospital here.

Renukaswamy's father, Kashinath Shivanagoudar, said the child and mother are healthy and fine.

Thanking the hospital and doctors who provided free treatment, Shivanagoudar, who got emotional, told reporters: "Felt happy as though my son had come back." Sahana was five months pregnant when her husband was killed.

Darshan along with his friend Pavithra Gowda and 15 others are accused in the murder case.

While Darshan is lodged in Ballari jail, Pavithra is in central prison in Bengaluru. Other accused are lodged in various jails in the state and a few of them have recently got bail.

According to police, 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor, had sent obscene messages to Pavithra, which enraged Darshan, allegedly leading to his murder. His body was found near a stormwater drain next to an apartment in Sumanahalli in Bengaluru here on June 9.

Raghavendra, one of the accused who is part of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, had brought Renukaswamy to a shed in R R Nagar in Bengaluru, on the pretext that the actor wanted to meet him. It was in this shed that he was allegedly tortured and murdered.

According to the post-mortem report, Renukaswamy, a native of Chitradurga, died due to shock and hemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt injuries.

Police have said Pavithra, who is accused number one, was the "major cause" for Renukaswamy's murder, claiming that it has been proved from the probe that she instigated other accused, conspired with them, and took part in the crime.