Bengaluru: A 38-year-old software engineer died by suicide at an under-construction building in Whitefield police limits, leaving behind a death note accusing his neighbours of harassment and financial demands. The deceased, identified as Muruli Govindaraju, was found hanging at the construction site on Tuesday, prompting a police investigation.

According to police, Muruli had purchased the site in 2018 from Shashi Nambiar and Usha Nambiar. However, he had allegedly been facing continuous obstruction from them whenever he attempted to begin construction. The couple had reportedly demanded ₹20 lakh from him and also complained to authorities about “illegal construction,” leading to a notice being issued to Muruli by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).

Police said the notice deeply upset Muruli, who had been under emotional stress due to the prolonged dispute. In his death note, he named Usha Nambiar as the person responsible for getting the GBA to issue the notice, alleging that the couple had pushed him to a breaking point with sustained harassment.

Following the complaint, Whitefield police registered an FIR against the accused trio. Officers who visited the spot confirmed that both Shashi and Usha Nambiar have been taken into custody for questioning. “We are probing the allegations mentioned in the death note and verifying all documents related to property ownership and construction permissions,” a senior officer said.

The incident has triggered concern in the locality, with residents expressing shock that a civic-clearance dispute could escalate to such a tragedy. Police have initiated further investigation to determine whether extortion or criminal intimidation led to the techie’s death.