Rape accused tried second assault hours later, foiled

Mysore/Mysuru: K.S. Karthik, the man accused of abducting, raping and murdering a minor girl in Mysuru, allegedly attempted to sexually assault another woman just hours after committing the first crime on Thursday morning.

During interrogation, Karthik confessed to Police that around 4 am on Thursday, he had sneaked into a tent near Exhibition Grounds where the minor girl was sleeping. He carried the child to a secluded spot, sexually assaulted her and then murdered her.

Following the crime, Karthik reportedly walked along the road near the old Ranjith Theatre and spotted several women sleeping on the footpath.

At 6.30 am, he lifted the blanket of a 48-year-old woman and molested her but she raised a loud alarm, alerting others nearby. Soon, Karthik fled the scene.

He then travelled to Kollegal, about 65 kms from Mysuru. As part of the investigation, Police teams traced and recorded the statements of the women who had been sleeping on the footpath that morning. The survivor of second assault recounted the traumatic experience to them.

Karthik is currently undergoing treatment for gunshot wounds sustained while attempting to flee custody.

Devaraja Sub-Division Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajendra and his team visited the Trauma Care Centre on Friday to assess the accused Karthik’s condition. The court has been informed of Karthik’s medical status. He is expected to remain under treatment for about a week and will be produced before the Court once discharged.