Man sentenced to life for robbery, murder

A local court in the city convicted a murder accused to rigorous imprisonment for life for killing a 35-year-old woman and robbing nearly 2 kg of gold from her house in Konankunte. The house, which was set on fire to mislead the police, resulted in the victim dying in the fire.

Subramanayapura police had registered a case of murder in 2011 when Pavithra, wife of Manjappa, a real estate agent, was found charred to death at her second floor house in Konankunte.

Preliminary investigations revealed that an unknown person had called on the land-line that day asking Manjappa to come to Bidadi to see a site for sale. While Manjappa was in Bidadi, an unidentified man came to Pavithra’s house when she was alone, murdered her and escaped with 2 kg of gold before setting the house on fire.

Investigating officer, police inspector Balegowda, retrieved call details records of Pavithra and Manjappa and found that a neighbour visited the couple two months ago. The neighbour, identified as Koushik, was not in town soon after the murder incident. This was confirmed by Manjappa’s daughter Ramya who told the police that they knew Koushik who used to come to their house. The police then picked up Koushik and interrogated him. He confessed to the crime.

The police then started collecting all evidence related to the murder. The judge appreciated the meticulous investigation by Balegowda that rendered justice to the victim’s kin. Koushik was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life for the murder along with five more years of rigorous imprisonment for robbing the victim. He was also asked to pay a fine Rs 5,000 failing which, he will have to undergo six months of simple imprisonment.