• Jewellery store in Vidyaranyapuram looted
• Innocent customer shot dead

The Story So Far

• CM assures compensation of Rs. 5 lakh to victim’s family
• Police hunt for criminals with some basic clues about identities 
• Hotels, lodges, tourist places under watch 
• Criminals, wearing blue shirts, arrive at the shop by foot
• Images of dacoits circulated all over the State 
• Bullet enters Chandru’s forehead region above the left eyebrow
• ADGP (Law and Order) Pratap Reddy visits crime scene

Mysore/Mysuru: The City Police are in hot pursuit of the escaped dacoits, who looted Amruth Gold and Silver Palace in Vidyaranyapuram last evening and killed 24-year-old Chandru while fleeing with the booty. Five teams have been formed and the Police top brass have expressed confidence that the four dacoits would be nabbed anytime soon as vital clues have been obtained. 

Meanwhile, sources said that the bullet fired at Chandru entered the forehead region above the left eyebrow. This was discovered after the body was scanned at K.R. Hospital this morning as per procedure. More details are awaited in the post-mortem report. “We are ready with basic clues and there is no chance of the dacoits to escape as all entry and exit points have been sealed soon after the incident took place last evening. CCTV footage is clear enough to identify their faces, their dresses are visible and also footage from outside the shop has been collected and circulated all over,” a senior Police Officer told SOM this morning. 

CCTV footage info

“CCTV footage shows that the four arrived at the shop on foot and we are probing if they had brought a vehicle and parked it elsewhere. As per the statements given by shop owner Dharmendra, the dacoits spoke in Urdu and Hindi and it was a well-planned loot. We are obtaining details from lodges and other accommodations of people who had checked in just to commit the crime or did they seek help from any local residents,” the Police Officer added. 

Information from tour and taxi operators are being obtained to ascertain if the dacoits have come from other places or cities. Clues and CCTV footage are being collected from hotels and the Police have given the photos of the dacoits to hotel staff for identification.   

Sources said that to mask their identity, the dacoits might stay in the city for a few more days until the Police lift the nakabandi at entry and exit points. “We are keeping an eye on tourist spots too and will obtain the footage of people visiting them and match with those obtained from inside the shop,” another officer who is a part of the investigation said. 

The dacoits planned the loot well and they have conducted many recee trips. “They have chosen a small shop in a far away area instead of the city centre so that they can easily escape. City centre would have been difficult as it gathers too much attention and the Police are nearby. The area where the crime occurred is near the H.D. Kote and Manandavadi Roads and there are many main roads and access roads for them to escape easily. 

This morning, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Pratap Reddy visited the crime scene along with City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta and took first-hand reports.  The ADGP later held a meeting in this regard with the Police officials at the City Police Commissioner’s Office.

Compensation of Rs. 5 lakh

Krishnaraja MLA S.A. Ramdas, who visited the spot this morning, said that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has agreed to give Rs. 5 lakh compensation to Chandru’s father Rangaswamy, who has lost a family breadwinner. 

“The compensation will be sanctioned immediately. The incident has shaken the business community, common man and also the residents. I have called a meeting of the Police and businessmen of K.R. Assembly segment tomorrow to discuss the security measures and to instil confidence among the citizens,” he said.