Mysuru: Karnataka recorded 1,211 murders in 2025, including 18 cases in Mysuru City, with disputes and personal enmity emerging as the primary triggers even as the overall number of murder cases in the state showed a steady decline.
The data was presented by Home Minister G Parameshwara in the Assembly during the recent session, in response to a question raised by Chamarajanagar MLA Puttarangashetty.
According to official figures, the state recorded 1,404 murders in 2022, which dropped to 1,322 in 2023, 1,228 in 2024, and further to 1,211 in 2025, indicating a gradual downward trend over the past four years.
Motives behind killings
Police data shows that disputes accounted for the highest number of murders in 2025, followed by personal enmity and illicit relationships. Officials noted that many incidents stemmed from quarrels that escalated into fatal violence.
In Mysuru City, murder cases have fluctuated over the past five years. The city recorded 23 murders in 2021, 25 in 2022, 30 in 2023, 22 in 2024, and 18 in 2025, reflecting a decline in the latest year.
Mysuru City Commissioner of Police Seema Latkar stated that several cases were linked to minor provocations that spiralled out of control. Police also registered murders arising from civil and family disputes, particularly property-related conflicts.
Dowry-related violence resulted in three murders in Mysuru City in 2025. Killings linked to adultery and lover intrigue accounted for four cases during the year.
High-profile cases raise concern
Among the cases that drew significant public attention was a rape-and-murder of a minor girl reported days after the Mysuru Dasara celebrations in October 2025. The incident heightened public anxiety and triggered intensified police action.
Two youths were killed in separate incidents attributed to personal enmity — Karthik in Mysuru and Venkatesha near Doddakere Maidan within city limits.
In another case, a jilted lover was detained for allegedly killing a 20-year-old mother in a lodge in Saligrama in Mysuru district, reportedly using an electrical object.
District-level trends
Additional Superintendent of Police C. Mallik said that disputes, dowry demands, illicit relationships, drunken brawls and property quarrels remained the most common motives behind murders reported in the district.
Police sources observed that the diversity of motives suggests that most murders were not premeditated but arose from volatile disputes, unresolved personal enmity and broader socio-economic tensions.
While the overall decline in statewide murder cases indicates some improvement in law and order, officials stressed the need for continued community engagement and preventive policing to address interpersonal conflicts before they escalate into violence.
The data highlights the importance of addressing underlying social issues, including family disputes, substance abuse and financial stress, which frequently act as catalysts for violent crimes.