The city police are yet to find out how the suspect in the murder of 17-year-old Gautami got the weapon. The student was shot in her hostel room in Pragathi College at Kadugodi on Wednesday. Police seized a 9mm country-made pistol from the suspect, Mahesh K., who is the hostel attendant.
Police sources said that Mahesh claimed to have purchased the weapon and ammunition from his contact in Kalaburagi two years ago.
Police Commissioner M.N. Reddi said, “There is no evidence to corroborate his claim.”
Sources privy to the investigation said police are closing in on the person who sourced the weapon, but are waiting for the BJP executive meeting to get over to come out with the facts.
On Thursday, police secured his custody for a week for further questioning. They took him to the hostel to reconstruct the crime. A team has been sent to his hometown, Agumbe in Shivamogga district, as part of the investigation.
Police arrested Prashanth S., director of Pragathi College, on charges of negligence and have booked him under Sections 188 and 336 of the Indian Penal Code and remanded him in judicial custody. On Wednesday, they had arrested the chairman, Som Singh K.M., under similar charges. The duo was on Thursday produced in court, which granted bail.
Panel visits hostel
MLC Motamma, who is a member of the Women Safety Committee formed by the government, visited the college. “The management accommodated 10 girls in each room. There is no proper wash room or privacy, nor adequate security measures at the hostel,” she said.
