Former Goa MLA Lavoo Suryaji Mamledar passed away on Saturday afternoon after an altercation with an auto-rickshaw driver in Karnataka’s Belagavi, officials confirmed.
The incident occurred near Srinivas Lodge in Khade Bazar, where Mamledar (68) had booked a hotel. As his car entered a narrow lane, it allegedly brushed against an auto-rickshaw, leading to a heated argument with the driver, identified as Mujahid Sanadi. The situation escalated when Sanadi slapped the former Congress leader, police said.
Shortly after the altercation, Mamledar collapsed while climbing the stairs of his lodge. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. His body has been sent for a postmortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.
Police arrested Sanadi after reviewing CCTV footage from the area. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether the altercation directly contributed to Mamledar’s demise.
