Criminals could only get Rs. 485 from pockets of victims; two other accused at large

Hunsur: The Hunsur Town Police have cracked the double murder case that occurred in a saw mill in Hunsur town that was discovered in the morning of June 22.

Abhishek, a 23-year-old youth, has been arrested and a manhunt has been launched to arrest the other two involved in the heinous crime.

The double murder left the community numb as the victims were two watchmen who were employed at the saw mill. They are Venkatesh (75) from Kalkunike Ranganatha Layout and Shanmukha Rao (65). The incident occurred at Hunsur town near the Parasayyana Chhatra (shed) on Boti Bazaar Road adjacent to S.S. Sawmill.

The assailants used a heavy object to deliver fatal blows to their heads and Shanmukha was reported to be mentally challenged. Both the victims were engaged in various small tasks in the vicinity and were familiar figures in the locality.

According to the saw mill owner Aleem Ulla, Venkatesh and Shanmukha did not have a family and both slept in the saw mill and prepared their own food. Sometimes they frequented a nearby hotel and they led a quiet life without disturbing anyone.

Abhishek is the resident of Saraswathipuram in Hunsur town and he has a track record of crimes including robbery, extortion and threatening. He was arrested based on the CCTV footage in the vicinity. The Police had spotted Abhishek and two others entering the sawmill compound on the night of June 21.

Based on the CCTV visual descriptions, the Police picked up Abhishek and subjected him to intense interrogation. Police said that the accused has confessed to the murder and also blurted out the names of the other two persons who were involved in the crime.

Abhishek told the Police that he urgently needed money to meet his daily expenses and he decided to rob Venkatesh and Shanmukha but, in the process, ended up murdering them along with his accomplices. According to the Police, the criminals could only get Rs. 485 from the pockets of the victims.

Police said that in 2021, Abhishek was involved in crimes including robbery, theft and bike-lifting and also intimidated people. Cases have been registered in the Hunsur Town Police Station against him in the past. Abhishek has now been booked in a murder case and has been remanded to                                                    judicial custody.

Circle Inspector S.M. Devendra led the investigation team along with staff H.N. Arun, Yogesh, R. Prabhakar, Rajegowda, J.K. Manjunath, Anil Kumar, S.A. Manohhar and D.A. Irfan. Superintendent of Police Seema Latkar has commended the team who nabbed one of the accused within 36 hours of the crime.