JOIN USTwo autorickshaw drivers were found stabbed to death at a farm in Machohalli, off Magadi Road on Saturday. The bodies were bludgeoned apparently to mask their identity.
The deceased have been identified as Umesh Babu (35) and Manjunath (34), both cousins and residents of Laggere. The incident came to light after passersby noticed the bodies and alerted the local police.
According to police, two men, Harish Babu and Narayana, approached Kamakshipalya police on Saturday claiming that a gang abducted them along with Umesh and Manjunath. The duo stated that the gang let them off after robbing them of their valuables and murdered the two cousins. They identified the bodies.
Harish Babu is a resident of Kunigal and owns a goods autorickshaw. Narayana is employed with Babu as a driver.
In his statement to police, Babu said the deceased were his cousins and he had come to the City to meet them. He said they were having a drink at a bar in Pattegarpalya on Friday night when a group of five-six people barged in and had a tiff with the two.
He said the gang abducted the two cousins, him and his driver Narayana in his luggage auto and drove them to a desolate house in Rajagopalnagar, where they were robbed of their valuables. The gang put them into the auto again and sped off towards Nelamangala.
According to Babu, the gang members stabbed Umesh and Manjunath to death on the way and disposed of the bodies at a farm in Machohalli, after smashing their heads with a stone to ensure the bodies are not identified.
However, Bangalore Rural Superintendent of Police Ramesh said there were contradictions in the statements made by the two, and the police were looking into their role in the crime. The police said the assailants would not have spared Harish and Narayana as they had witnessed the two murders.
Though the two claimed they too were assaulted, police said there was not a single scratch on their body. They have been detained for further investigation.
Ramesh said the duo named two persons who were part of the gang. These two have a history of robbery, dacoity and similar murders. A special team has been formed to investigate the case.