Kannada actress Shanaya Katwe was arrested on Thursday in connection with the case of the murder of her brother Rakesh Katwe. He was 32.

According to Hubballi Rural police, Rakesh was allegedly murdered and his decapitated head was found in the Devaragudihal forest area. Police officers also told media sources that his remaining body parts were disposed of across Gadag Road and other areas in Hubballi.

Dharwad district police arrested four other suspects initially for the case — Niyazahemed Katigar (21), Tousif Channapur (21), Altaf Mulla (24), and Aman Giraniwale (19) — Hubbali. They later nabbed three other suspects.

According to media reports, the murder was connected to the victim’s sister, who had allegedly been involved in a love affair with one of the accused, Niyazahemed Katigar. Shanaya’s brother Rakesh had reportedly not approved of their affair, which had led to Niyazahemed plotting to kill him.

One of the facts that the police have confirmed so far was that Shanaya visited Hubballi to promote one of her upcoming movies, and that the murder took place at his residence on the same day.

Rakesh had reportedly been strangled to death. Niyazahemed and his friends chopped Rakesh’s body a day later and got rid of the pieces across various locations in and around the city.

Shanaya is now in judicial custody.

The actress made her debut in 2018 with the Kannada film Idam Premam Jeevanam. She was last seen in Ondu Ghateya Kathe.