DNA test on skeleton helps identify murdered woman

The victim was allegedly abducted and strangulated

In a case that has all the trappings of a Sandalwood potboiler, a woman who was murdered last year and her body dumped in a forest has been identified with the help of a DNA test. Four of her alleged killers have also been arrested.

Shivanagamma (50), a resident of Lokanayaka Nagar here, was reported missing by her son Sridhar on April 21, 2012. In the complaint to Metagalli police, Sridhar had provided a description of his mother and said she wore a red sari the last time she was seen, a police source said.

Two months later, Jayapura police recovered a skeleton draped in a red sari from the Manasemati forest. Investigators registered suo motu an unnatural death case. Metagalli police, who were also roped in, suspected it to be Shivanagamma’s skeleton. Sridhar was then called to identify the skeleton.

Initially, Sridhar and his family failed to identify the grimy clothes — the only remaining evidence. But when the clothes were washed, they identified the blouse.

Metagalli police were quite convinced that the skeleton was indeed Shivanagamma’s. It was then sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) Bangalore for DNA testing. In the meantime, police began interrogating people the victim had known.

Police received a shot in the arm when the FSL confirmed, after about 11 months, that the skeleton was indeed Shivanagamma’s. The investigators then traced the missing mobile phone of the victim through the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, which eventually led them to Mahadeva (28), a resident of Muththige in Chamarajanagar taluk and one of the four suspects.

When grilled, Mahadeva reportedly confessed to murdering Shivanagamma for gain. The three other suspects — Basava (30) , his younger brother Chandra (28), both residents of Harohalli, Sudeep alias Yogesh (30) of Bettadabeedu, H D Kote taluk — were arrested on July 7 at different places. While Basava is an autorickshaw driver, others are masons.

According to police, Basava “confessed” to killing Shivanagamma as she was pestering him to repay Rs 80,000 he owed her. Interestingly, the victim’s family was unaware of her business. Basava, investigators explained, had called Shivanagamma to Mathrumandali Circle in V V Mohalla on the fateful day. He cajoled her into accompanying him to Harojamma, Malleshwara Swami and Anjaneya Swami temples in Menasemanti forest.

An unsuspecting Shivanagamma got into Basava’s auto. He later picked up Chandra and Mahadeva on the way to the forest while Yogesh joined them at Bettadabeedu.

They first went to the temples. Later, the four pounced on Shivanagamma and strangulated her with a rope. They also snatched her 70-gm gold jewellery before dumping the body.

The suspects, police said, then went to Jayapura and consumed alcohol. Later, they returned to the forest and concealed the body in thick bushes.
A local court remanded the suspects in judicial custody on Monday.