Killer told cops chilling details about grisly deeds

Suspected psychopathic killer Shanker on Tuesday admitted to police investigators that he killed three members of a watchman’s family at an estate on the outskirts of the city, and then drank from a tender coconut, before he left the spot of murder.

Shanker is learnt to have made the confession with a matter-of-fact mien, when police officers of two districts - Chitradurga and Tumkur took him to the estate at Nelhal near here.

Chitradurga police on Monday brought serial killer suspect M Shanker alias Jaishanker here for investigations into three murders at an estate on the outskirts of the city. Shanker is suspected to be responsible for four to five gruesome murders in Chitradurga district and three in Tumkur.

Shanker has been brought to the district to verify his statements regarding the killings of Doddayya, watchman at an estate in Nelhal, his wife Puttamma and daughter Radhamma.

As a police officer put it, “With no emotion whatsoever,” Shanker admitted to the three murders in the estate. He is reported to have told police that after killing Doddayya, he murdered his wife, Puttamma.

He then entered the house where the couple stayed, and killed their daughter Radhamma, who was rummaging a trunk.

Shanker is learnt to have told police about the manner of killing graphically and without hesitation. According to police, he told them that after the murders, he drank tender coconut water out of a shell.

Investigators of Chitradurga police told Deccan Herald that Shanker’s statement seemed to match with the circumstances under which the murders were committed.

As news spread of the suspected murderer’s presence in the city, hundreds of people gathered near the Nelhal estate to have a glimpse of the suspected psychopath.

Even former minister T B Jayachandra who was passing by, stopped for a while to take a look at the suspected killer.

Tumkur Additional SP P K Shivashanker, Rural Inspector Kalleshappa and Chitradurga police officers conducted the investigations.

The Chitradurga police are expected to pass Shanker to the custody of Tumkur police to facilitate the latter’s investigations into the Nelhal killings.

Shanker, who is said to be involved in 19 murders in Tamil Nadu had escaped from their custody near Krishnagiri. After his escape, he reached Chitradurga where he is suspected to have committed at least four murders, and then Tumkur where he killed the watchman’s family.