Justice Delivered: Bengaluru Road Rage Murder Case Concludes with Conviction

Incident Overview

In the early hours of June 26, 2018, south Bengaluru experienced a peaceful silence, typical of the post-midnight hours. A car carrying three young men was driving home from an outing when it paused near BTM Layout 16th Main, waiting for friends to catch up. During this wait, 26-year-old Siddharth Koushal exited the vehicle. A motorcycle passed by, brushing against him, leading to an unexpected confrontation. An argument rapidly escalated, culminating in Koushal being struck on the head with a wooden log wielded by one of the motorcycle riders. Ravi Prakash, who attempted to intervene, was also attacked. Within moments, the attackers had fled the scene.

Koushal fell to the ground, suffering severe head injuries. He was initially taken to a local hospital before being transferred to Apollo Hospital on Bannerghatta Road, where he died on June 30, 2018, just four days post-incident.

Investigation Challenges

The investigation commenced at the Mico Layout police station under then Inspector R M Ajay. While arrests of the suspects were made soon after, the lack of direct evidence presented significant challenges. Notably, there was no CCTV footage capturing the assault. Ajay stated, “We had no direct CCTV from the spot. What we had was reconstruction,” indicating that the investigators were working with limited information.

Initial leads came from a nearby worker who, after hearing the commotion, witnessed the attackers leave the scene. He provided what he believed to be the motorcycle’s registration number, but subsequent verification revealed inaccuracies. The police had to expand their investigation to analyze CCTV footage from nearby areas, successfully reconstructing the event sequence without obtaining direct evidence.

Through this detailed approach, police identified the motorcycle involved and narrowed down the suspects. Within 48 hours, Girish V, 28, and Mahesh M K, 26, were arrested, and a chargesheet was filed, though proving the case would take significantly longer.

Understanding the Motivation

Initially described as a case of road rage, the investigation revealed that there were no signs of aggressive driving or prolonged altercation. Koushal’s warning to the motorcyclists, first in Hindi and later in broken Kannada, may have contributed to the escalation of the conflict. A police officer explained that the non-local status perceived by the accused led to a significant misinterpretation of intentions, escalating the argument into violence. This moment highlighted the interaction dynamics that transformed a small road incident into a deadly confrontation.

Witness Testimonies and Trial Challenges

The trial phase faced significant issues as key eyewitnesses began to retract or contradict their earlier accounts, severely undermining the prosecution’s case. Witness testimonies lacked consistency, with some claiming they did not witness the assault, while others had uncertainties about their statements. Naveen, one of Koushal’s friends, denied seeing the attack, which further complicated the case.

Ajay remarked that this phenomenon of witnesses turning hostile presented one of the biggest challenges during the trial. “In a case like this, where there is no direct footage of the assault, witness consistency becomes crucial,” he noted, as the prosecution’s evidence continued to erode.

Key Testimony and Verdict

Despite the setbacks, one consistent witness remained: Ravi Prakash’s testimony played a pivotal role. He maintained that the accused returned to attack Koushal with a log after the initial exchange. His consistent statements aligned with medical reports confirming that Koushal’s fatal injuries were caused by a blunt object. Forensic analysis also tied the wooden weapon to the crime scene, reinforcing the reliability of Prakash’s testimony.

On October 24, 2025, coincidentally Koushal’s birthday, the court delivered its verdict. Judge Balachandra N Bhat found Girish V and Mahesh M K guilty of murder, sentencing them to life in prison along with a fine of Rs 10,000 each. The judgment emphasized that the use of a heavy object to strike Koushal was disproportionate to the initial warning.” This verdict stood as a closure for Koushal’s family, providing a semblance of justice after a lengthy and arduous process.