A 37-year-old mother of two was suffocated to death with duct tape and the home looted of cash and gold at the Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) Colony behind the Shri Krishnapriya Kalyana Mantapa off the Magadi Main Road on Tuesday morning.
The Kamakshipalya police said the criminals stole Rs. 36,000 in cash and all the gold from the house.
The police identified the victim as Sujatha, married to Murugananda and mother to two sons, Tarun (14) and Roshan (8). Mr. Murugananda, who owns a printing press at Kamakshipalya, was away and work and the boys were in school. Sujata’s parents also stay in the neighbourhood.
The murder came to light when Lakshmamma, the domestic help, came for work around 11.30 a.m. Sundar, Sujata’s brother, also turned up at the same time. When Ms. Lakshmamma told Mr. Sundar her knocks drew no response, the latter called his sister’s cellphone. To his shock, a male voice answered saying there had been an accident and the lady was in hospital with severe injuries. The man disconnected the call before Mr. Sundar could ask which hospital.
Mr. Sundar rushed to his house, got the duplicate key and was confronted by the sight of his lifeless sister, her face totally wrapped with duct tape.
The police suspect the hands of persons known to the family as they found a cup of coffee and biscuits on the table. Curiously, though one of Sujata’s silver anklets was missing, the gold chain on her person was intact. Her cellphone’s cover was lying next to her body, which bore external injuries. The family has told the police there were 10 jewellery boxes and all of them were empty.
Ms. Lakshmamma, the domestic help, told the police Sujata never entertained strangers and she always checked through a small window adjacent to the door whenever anyone knocked.
Sujata was to have gone to the bank with her father, Ganesh, but when he came to her house there was no response. He then went to the bank alone..
