Not paying salary to his employee proved fatal for 48-year-old Ramaswamy, owner of an earth mover, who was hacked to death near his house in Chintamani on Thursday.

The police on Sunday arrested the vehicle driver Nagesh, 28, from his hometown in Afzalpura in Kalaburagi district.

According to the police, the deceased, Ramaswamy, was walking to his farm when the accused armed with a machete followed him and allegedly hacked him to death before fleeing to his hometown. Based on a complaint by the family of the deceased, the Chintamani police tracked down the accused. A detailed questioning led him to confess to the crime, police said.

Nagesh told the police that he had been working as a driver for Ramaswamy for the last 1.5 years with a salary of ₹1,000 on a working day and Ramaswamy had not paid him salary dues of ₹1.5 lakh. Ramaswamy had allegedly threatened to kill the accused when Nagesh asked for his dues.