5 including retired taluk medical officer held for woman's death

Bantwal rural police have succeeded in cracking the death case of Leelavathi (34) from Kasaba village in Bantwal taluk and have arrested five persons in this regard on Thursday.

The five arrested including Dr Hanumanth Rao (70), nurses Sadi Leela alias Leela Karkera (60) and Bharathi (57), autorickshaw driver Lakshman Poojary and prime accused Bhaskar Poojary, were produced before the court and were remanded to the judicial custody till October 1.

It could be recalled that the dead body of Leelavathi was found by the roadside in Panjikallu village in Baltwal on September 6.

The post mortem report revealed that the victim had died due to excess bleeding caused because of induced abortion. The police investigation revealed that Leelavathi was pregnant due to an illegitimate relationship with her cousin Bhaskar Poojary, a lorry driver.

Briefing media persons on Saturday, Superintendent of Police Abhishek Goyal said that Bhaskar who was unhappy over Leelavathi’s pregnancy, had sent her to Adithya Clinic in Bantwal for abortion.

Though Dr Hanumanth Rao of the clinic administered her the tablets and injection, the abortion could not be successful. Following the delay in abortion, Hanumath Rao sent Leelavathi and Bhaskar to Minsa Hospital in Mangalore and asked nurse Leela Karkera working at the hospital to get the foetus aborted.

Leela Karkera with the assistance of maid Bharathi got the induced abortion done at the hospital and Leelavathi died due to excess bleeding. Bhaskar along with his friend and an autorickshaw driver Lakshman Poojary carried the dead body, wrapped in a plastic cover, to Bantwal and disposed it on the roadside in Panjikallu village. Later, he concocted a story and spread the news to the villagers and Leelavathi’s family that the dead body was lying by the road side.

The investigation revealed that Bhaskar Poojary had bribed Rs 1000 to Dr Hanumanth Rao and Rs 5,000 to the nurse and the maid. On raiding Adithya Clinic following the investigation, the police have seized abortion equipment and medicines.

In fact, Dr Hanumanth Rao who runs the clinic is retired Bantwal Taluk Medical Officer. The police have also carried out raid on Minsa Hospital for conducting induced abortion and the hospital management is inquired as per the Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, informed Goyal.

The investigation team was led by In-charge SP Sadananda Varnekar and Assistant Superintendant of Police M N Anucheth and the team consisted of Bantwal Circle Inspector Anil S Kulakarni, Bantwal Rural PSI Mahesh Prasad, PSI Gopal Hallur, Omprakash Gowda and others.