Army soldier’s house in Belagavi village torched by relatives

Belagavi: Caught in the middle of a property tussle, the house of an Indian Army soldier in Kine village in Belagavi was torched by his distant relatives. Although the incident occurred on August 31, it came to light only recently after the soldier shared the details on a social media post. Police have so far arrested three people in connection with the case.
Bharatesh Chaugale, the soldier who has lost his house, is currently on duty in Assam, while his sister, who works in the Border Security Force is in Kolkata.Both siblings are now with their parents, and are quite afraid. The two of them had come home to Kine village to spend the holidays with their parents.
On August 31 night, distant relatives of Chaugale’s identified as Mahesh Dukre, Namadev Dukre and Pintu Dukre first assaulted Bharatesh’s father at a bus stop. When Chaugale’s sister and mother rushed to the bus stop to stop the assailants, they were also attacked. Chaugale subsequently had all three of them admitted to a private hospital so they could receive treatment for their wounds.
The trio of miscreants allegedly entered Chaugale’s house when the family was at the hospital, and set it ablaze with all the belongings inside, including a two-wheeler. The horrific incident was narrated by Chaugale on a video that subsequently went viral on social media, and Belagavi rural police subsequently booked a case.
Sources said that Chaugale had lent a sum of Rs 3 lakh to one of the three people now arrested, and when he asked for the money, they grew angry, and proceeded to torch the house.
Belagavi city police commissioner K Tyagarajan said that the trio who had been arrested had lodged a complaint accusing Chaugale of assaulting them. “After watching Chaugale’s video, I directed Belagavi rural police to register a case, and an investigation will be undertaken,” he told TOI.