Week after Indiranagar stabbings, police yet to nab accused

Bengaluru:A week has passed since rowdy-sheeter Kadamba stabbed four people in Indiranagar, yet the police have been unable to track him down.

Kadamba, listed as a rowdy-sheeter at the Indiranagar police station, went on a stabbing spree last weekend, targetting four residents — Jashwanth P, 19, Mahesh Sitapati S, 23, Deepak Kumar Varma, 24, and Tammaiah, 44 — inflicting neck and jaw injuries with a sharp object.

"We came close to catching him multiple times, but he slipped away at the last moment,” an officer overseeing the investigation told DH.

Ramesh Banoth, Joint Commissioner (East), remained optimistic, stating that five police teams were pursuing Kadamba and expected to nab him within two days. These teams are working under the supervision of the Halasuru Assistant Commissioner of Police.

An investigator suggested that Kadamba’s sudden burst of violence was likely fuelled by intoxication, noting that he hasn’t struck again since the incident.

The suspect, believed to be in his 20s, has six prior criminal cases against him.

The police suspect Kadamba is still in the city, frequently changing locations to evade capture. While four teams are combing Bengaluru, another is searching in other districts. His last known location was Hosakote, on the city’s outskirts, but officials declined to disclose his current whereabouts.

Authorities are yet to recover the mobile phone he allegedly snatched from the fifth victim.

Frustration mounts

Residents, shopkeepers, and metro passengers voiced their frustration over the slow progress of the investigation.

Sahithi, a resident of Indiranagar, admitted feeling uneasy walking the streets after the attacks.

Shopkeepers, while relieved that the violence was an isolated incident, criticised the sluggish probe.

"We’ve seen cases where fugitives absconded to different states, but were caught in two or three days. Why is this taking so long?” asked Sharath, an undergraduate student.