The Karnataka Police have invoked provisions of the stringent Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA) against two individuals in connection with a series of violent crimes, including murder, stemming from a prolonged land dispute in Udupi district, officials said on Monday.

According to the police, Section 3 of the KCOCA was applied after a detailed assessment revealed the alleged involvement of the accused in multiple serious offences committed over an extended period. The accused have been identified as gangster Kali Yogish and alleged land shark Yogish Acharya.

Police said Yogish Acharya has been arrested and remanded to judicial custody by a special KCOCA court in Mysuru. The second accused, Kali Yogish, is currently absconding and is believed to be residing abroad. Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend him.

The case has its roots in December 2022, when the Kaup police registered an assault case against the two accused and their associates. They were allegedly involved in attacking a man identified as Chandrashekar and others following a dispute over land ownership. Investigators said the violence was part of a broader pattern of intimidation linked to the ongoing property dispute.

The conflict escalated further in March 2023 with the murder of Sharath Shetty. According to the police, Shetty was allegedly killed for refusing to support Yogish Acharya and for assisting Chandrashekar in the land dispute. A murder case was subsequently registered at the Kaup police station, with Chandrashekar named as a key witness in both the assault and murder cases.

Police also revealed that on October 20, 2025, Chandrashekar received a threat call at around 8.15 pm, warning him against testifying in court. He was allegedly asked to settle a financial dispute with Yogish Acharya and was threatened with death if he failed to comply. Based on Chandrashekar’s complaint, a fresh case was registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The investigation into the case was supervised by Harsha Priyamvada, Assistant Superintendent of Police of the Karkala subdivision. Officials said the decision to invoke KCOCA was taken after reviewing the gravity of the offences, the alleged organised nature of the crimes and the continued intimidation of witnesses.

Yogish Acharya was initially arrested on October 24, 2025, in connection with the threat case and was later released on bail. However, following the invocation of KCOCA, he was re-arrested and produced before the special court, which remanded him to judicial custody.

Police said further investigation is ongoing, and additional legal action may follow based on the findings. The invocation of KCOCA, they added, reflects the seriousness with which the authorities are treating organised and repeat violent crimes linked to land disputes in the district.