70-year-old woman raped, murdered in graveyard

A 70-year-old woman was found brutally raped and murdered at her house inside a graveyard in Rupena Agrahara near Bommanahalli, South Bengaluru, on Saturday evening.

Police said the victim had been raped before she was killed as she was found naked with injuries to her privates.

On Saturday around 4.30 pm, the daughter-in-law of the victim, heard screams when she was away sheep grazing. She rushed to the house and saw the victim lying in a pool of blood. The daughter-in-law also saw the accused, Harish (20) sitting beside the victim.

As the shocked daughter-in-law cried for help, the accused fled the scene. But with the help of locals in the area the woman chased him and caught him.

Police, meanwhile, booked Harish for rape and murder and are waiting for medical reports for further investigation.

The victim was rushed to the Victoria Hospital, but failed to respond to treatment.

A senior police officer told DH that the accused Harish’s parents had died long ago and he was staying at his grandmother’s place near Bommanahalli. Harish is a habitual offender and also a drug addict. Last year, he was caught stealing some valuables from his grandmother’s house. He was sent out of the house thereafter. Later, Harish befriended the victim and started staying with the victim in the graveyard. The victim’s husband was the caretaker of the graveyard. As he died two years ago the victim took over and was continuing the work.

According to the police, on Saturday, the victim advised Harish to go to work. But he followed her inside the house. He then locked the house and raped her before attacking her with a blunt weapon. Harish might have been high on drugs, the police said.