JOIN US‘King Kohli’ writing on auto leads cops to 82-yr-old’s killers in Bengaluru
A 'King Kohli' lettering on the rear of an auto-rickshaw led the Mahalakshmipuram police to arrest three men in connection with the murder of an elderly woman last week.
The arrested are Siddaraju C M, 34, of Kempegowda Layout, Laggere; Anjanamurthy, 33, of Sannakki Bayalu, Kamakshipalya; and R Ashok, 40, from LG Ramanna Layout in Laggere.
Siddaraju is a labourer, Anjanamurthy an auto-rickshaw driver and Ashok, a plumber.
Siddaraju and Anjanamurthy smothered 82-year-old Kamala N Rao, a resident of 4th Main, 12th Cross, Second Stage, Mahalakshmipuram, around 6 pm on May 25. The murder was executed as per Ashok’s plan.
One of Kamala’s neighbours found her dead in the bedroom. She was gagged and her hands and legs were tied with a saree.
The culprits also robbed two gold chains weighing around 40 grams and two bangles.
Betting debt
Ashok had done some plumbing work at Kamala’s house three months ago and knew that she lived alone. He knew she kept jewellery and cash in the house.
Ashok, who bets on cricket matches, had taken loans from financiers. Anjanamurthy and Siddaraju, who were also in debt, joined Ashok in his scheme to clear their collective debts of around Rs 7 lakh.
First attempt
The suspects went to Kamala’s house in an auto-rickshaw on the pretext of asking her for a commercial space on rent. Siddaraju and Ashok went into the house while Anjanamurthy waited outside.
Anjanamurthy, who owned the auto-rickshaw, had removed the number plate to avoid getting traced. The men dropped the plan because the area was too crowded.
Second attempt
In a second attempt, Siddaraju and Anjanamurthy went to Kamala’s house by hiring an auto-rickshaw.
The men offered her biscuits. As she was eating the biscuits, they pulled her to the bedroom and killed her.
The men’s trips were captured on CCTV cameras in the neighbourhood. Police, noticing that the auto-rickshaw used in the first attempt did not have a registration plate, followed up on the Kohli lettering to get to the culprits.
The culprits pledged the gold jewellery and shared the money among themselves to clear some of their debts.
A police officer said the trio escaped to Mysuru and Mandya after the murder. They were arrested on their return to the city and taken into police custody for eight days.