The Parappana Agrahara police claim to have solved the August 2 murder of Kalaivani (48) with the arrest of a couple and a third person.
Venkatesh alias Nishanth (30), his wife Anitha (26) and associate Perumal (29) were arrested in Sakleshpur.
The murder, police claimed, was a vendetta as well as a crime for gain.
Kalaivani, the wife of Kanakaraj, a wealthy businessman, was found brutally murdered at her house in Kasavanahalli near Parappana Agrahara. Police said Venkatesh was employed by Kanakaraj as a manager for his import-export business in South Africa but had quit six months ago after a bitter fallout over salary.
After returning to India, Venkatesh was jobless for several months. To add to his troubles, Anitha too lost her job. The couple wanted to cash in on a business offer that came their way and were looking for seed money.
That is when they allegedly hatched a plot to rob Kalaivani, who mostly stayed alone in Bangalore. Venkatesh also wanted to take revenge against Kanakaraj for exploiting and underpaying him. The couple recruited Venkatesh’s brother too.
When Venkatesh knocked on Kalaivani’s door on August 2, she recognised him instantly and made the fatal mistake of letting him in along with the others. Once in, the trio choked her to death and escaped with her jewellery, which is estimated to be worth Rs. 5 lakh. Venkatesh is said to have confessed to the account presented by the police.
Couple’s murder
The Madiwala police on Friday announced the arrest of two people who allegedly robbed and murdered an elderly couple in their house at Kodichikkanahalli on August 10. Kalavathi (65) and her husband Narasimha Rao (75) were killed when they opened the door to two men posing as courier delivery boys.
The police said the two were Venugopal and Yatish, both in their 20s, who were sacked by their courier company a few months ago on disciplinary grounds. Desperate for money, they started plotting to rob unsuspecting residents by pretending to be courier boys.
On August 10, they delivered a parcel filled with heavy stones to Mr. Narasimha Rao. When Mr. Rao, who was not expecting such a large consignment, bent down to open the box, the two attacked him with lethal weapons. When Ms. Kalavathi raised an alarm, she too was killed by the two. The two escaped before neighbours could come to the rescue.
Police said they recovered three gold chains and other valuables worth Rs. 2.5 lakh from the suspects.
Poojary’s ‘aides’ held
The Central Crime Branch police claim to have disbanded a gang bearing allegiance to underworld don Ravi Poojary with the arrest of four youngsters. Announcing the arrest here Friday, the police said they were found to be in possession of lethal weapons and were plotting to kill some businessmen here.
The accused — Deekshith Shetty (25) from R.T. Nagar, Sunil Kumar (30) from Saraswatipura, Yogesh Kumar (25) from Vijayanagar and Rakshith (21) from R.T. Nagar — were allegedly arrested on August 22 at the Kempegowda playground in Hanumanthanagar.
The CCB said they extorted money from wealthy businessmen on behalf of Ravi Poojary and his close associate, ‘Kali’ Yogesh. The elusive don and Yogesh would supply the gang with weapons, phones and vehicles as well as provide them with a list of potential targets, the police claimed.
Student suicides
The body of Nandish (26) a medical student at St. John’s Medical College in Madiwala, who is suspected to have hanged himself in the intervening hours of Thursday and Friday, was found by his hostel mates on Friday morning.
In a separate incident, Akash (13), a Class 8 student who was extremely good in studies, hanged himself at his house in J.P. Nagar on Friday morning.
Jayanagar police said the suicide of the New Holy Cross School student came after an altercation with his family.
