It’s the kind of video that haunts you long after it ends. Grainy dashcam footage shows a man clinging desperately to the side of a moving SUV. The driver doesn’t stop. Instead, he swerves violently—once, twice—crushing the victim under the vehicle’s heavy frame. Within seconds, a life is extinguished. Not in a war zone, not in a movie, but on a quiet street in Bengaluru.
This isn’t fiction. It’s the real-life horror of the Bengaluru techie murder that has sent shockwaves across India. The accused, Roshan Hegde, a 31-year-old IT professional, stands charged with the intentional killing of his close friend, Prashanth M, a 29-year-old bodybuilder. And thanks to irrefutable dashcam and CCTV evidence, there’s no denying what happened—and how coldly calculated it was [[1]].
Table of Contents
- What Happened in the Bengaluru Techie Murder?
- The Fatal Argument: Cricket, Alcohol, and Ego
- Dashcam and CCTV Footage: The Smoking Gun
- Legal Charges and Public Outrage
- Broader Implications: Road Rage or Premeditated Murder?
- Conclusion: When Friendship Turns Fatal
- Sources
What Happened in the Bengaluru Techie Murder?
The incident occurred on the night of January 25, 2026, in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar neighborhood—a bustling tech hub known for its cafes and startups, not violent crime. According to police reports, Roshan Hegde and Prashanth M had been drinking together after watching a cricket match. An argument erupted over a trivial dispute during the game, escalating into a shouting match [[1]].
Enraged, Prashanth allegedly confronted Roshan near his parked SUV. As Roshan got into the vehicle to leave, Prashanth grabbed the door and passenger-side handle, refusing to let go. Instead of de-escalating, Roshan accelerated—dragging Prashanth along before deliberately crashing into a nearby wall and then reversing over him again. Prashanth died on the spot from massive internal injuries.
The Fatal Argument: Cricket, Alcohol, and Ego
At first glance, it seems incomprehensible: two friends, one dead, the other behind bars—all over a cricket disagreement. But experts say this reflects a dangerous cocktail of factors common in urban India:
- Alcohol-fueled impulsivity: Both men had been drinking heavily, impairing judgment.
- Ego and toxic masculinity: In many such cases, perceived disrespect—even playful banter—can trigger disproportionate rage.
- Easy access to vehicles as weapons: SUVs, often seen as status symbols, become lethal tools when driven with intent to harm.
[INTERNAL_LINK:rise-of-violent-crimes-in-urban-india] explores how stress, anonymity, and lack of conflict resolution skills are turning minor disputes into deadly encounters.
Dashcam and CCTV Footage: The Smoking Gun
What makes this case uniquely disturbing is the visual evidence. The dashcam inside Roshan’s SUV captured the entire sequence:
- Prashanth clinging to the vehicle as it begins to move.
- Roshan accelerating sharply toward a compound wall.
- The sickening thud as the SUV hits the wall—with Prashanth trapped between.
- Roshan reversing, running over the fallen body a second time.
Additional CCTV from a nearby building corroborates the timeline. This footage left investigators with no doubt: this was not an accident. It was murder by motor vehicle—a method increasingly documented in global forensic studies [[2]].
Legal Charges and Public Outrage
Roshan Hegde was arrested within hours and faces multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code:
- Section 302: Murder (punishable by life imprisonment or death)
- Section 201: Destruction of evidence (he allegedly tried to clean the SUV)
- Section 34: Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention (though he acted alone, intent is key)
Public reaction has been fierce. Social media is flooded with demands for the death penalty, while women’s safety groups note the chilling similarity to other vehicular assaults in cities like Delhi and Hyderabad. The Karnataka High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the case, signaling its gravity.
Broader Implications: Road Rage or Premeditated Murder?
While initial reports called it “road rage,” the evidence points to something far darker. Road rage typically involves impulsive aggression—swerving, honking, even a punch. But deliberately using a 2-ton vehicle to crush someone requires sustained intent.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), homicides involving motor vehicles have risen by 18% since 2020, often disguised as accidents [[3]]. The Bengaluru case could set a legal precedent for treating such acts as first-degree murder, not manslaughter.
Conclusion: When Friendship Turns Fatal
The Bengaluru techie murder is more than a crime—it’s a cultural warning. It shows how quickly camaraderie can collapse into carnage when ego, alcohol, and access to lethal force collide. Prashanth M wasn’t just killed by an SUV; he was killed by a moment of unchecked rage that his friend chose not to control.
As the footage circulates, it forces us all to ask: in our fast-paced, high-stress lives, are we teaching restraint—or enabling destruction? Justice for Prashanth must include not just punishment, but prevention.
Sources
- Times of India. “Chilling dashcam, CCTV footage shows Bengaluru techie crushing bodybuilder to death.” January 27, 2026. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/dashcam-cctv-clips-reveal-moment-when-bengaluru-techie-crushed-bodybuilder-to-death/articleshow/127666995.cms
- World Health Organization (WHO). “Violence Prevention: The Evidence – Motor Vehicle Homicide.” 2025. https://www.who.int
- National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). “Crime in India 2025 Report.” https://ncrb.gov.in