The Hulimavu police on Monday arrested a 28-year-old woman who allegedly traded her mangalsutra and gold rings with four men and a juvenile to get her husband killed.
The accused, Mamatha, was in a relationship with one of the men, Prashanth, who asked his friends to help eliminate her husband. According to the police, she had instructed the gang in December 2018 to make his death look like murder.
All four men worked for a well-known online retail company. However, the husband’s life was saved, ironically, by another delivery boy who had come to the house to deliver a water can.
Mamatha married Nagaraj, 38, a painter, 10 years ago. “She worked at the sales counter of a medical store, and the couple lived in a rented house in Arekere,” said police inspector S.M. Chandrappa.
According to the police, Mamatha was not happy in the marriage and began a relationship with the son of their landlord, Prashanth, two years ago.
“A few months ago, Nagaraj questioned her about their relationship, following which she decided to eliminate him and discussed the plan with Prashanth.
Prashanth, who worked for an e-commerce company, allegedly got his friends Anil Biswas, 21, Zakir Hussain, 20, Hari Kumar, 20, and a juvenile to kill Nagaraj for ₹1.5 lakh.
“As Prashanth did not have cash, Mamatha gave them her thali and rings,” said a police officer.
On December 14, Nagaraj who returned from work around 9.15 p.m. was watching TV, when the delivery boys barged into the house and overpowered him. “They robbed his gold chain and mobile phone, but while they were strangling him, Mani, another delivery boy, arrived with the water can. He shouted for help, following which the attackers fled.
The police found Mamatha’s behaviour suspicious as she was in the house during the attack, but made no attempt to call for help.
“When she realised that she was under suspicion, she left the house saying she was going for work but she never returned. Nagaraj approached us later stating that even Prashanth was missing,” the officer added. They were tracked to a hotel in Mumbai and arrested.
