Bengaluru: Woman, lover & four hired killers arrested after ex-GP member's murder

Bengaluru: Cracking a gripping murder mystery, the police have arrested a woman who allegedly conspired with her lover and four hired killers to poison her husband and dump the body in a desolate area. 

The mystery began to unravel nearly a month after Lokesh — a JD(S) leader and former member of the Makali gram panchayat — was found dead in his car on June 23 along Kyasapura Road near the Kanva reservoir in the MK Doddi police station limits, Ramanagara district. 

A bottle of poison was found next to the body, the car was damaged and one of his slippers was missing. 

Lokesh's wife Chandrakala told the police that he had left their Bengaluru home to visit Makali, but never returned. Though she raised suspicions about his death, she did not name anyone. 

Things took a dramatic turn when Lokesh's father Motegowda filed a police complaint, alleging Chandrakala was behind the murder. 

Motegowda informed the police that his daughter-in-law lived in Bengaluru while his son visited her once or twice a week. He also said that not all was well between the couple. Chandrakala was having an affair with Yogish, a resident of Navile village, Mandya, and Lokesh had found out about it. 

According to Motegowda, Chandrakala had fought with her husband after he sold a site in Kanna Hosahalli, near Doddaballapura, and even sent him a legal notice. 

Villagers in Makali claimed to have seen four men forcing a man into a black car near the spot where Lokesh's body was later found. 

Motegowda also alleged that after the police began questioning Yogish, Chandrakala called him up and asked him to go into hiding until things settled down, assuring him she would manage the situation. 

Based on circumstantial evidence and forensic investigation, the police arrested Chandrakala, Yogish and four suspected contract killers — Shantharaju from Navile; Shivalinga from Arakanahalli, Maddur; Chandan Kumar from Kaganahalli, Mandya taluk; and Surya Kumar, from Anekal, Bengaluru. A seventh suspect is absconding. 

Chandrakala

Yogish

Lokesh — a JD(S) leader and former member of the Makali gram panchayat was found dead