Many murders leave residents worried

Srirangapatna: A 65-year-old woman was smothered to death in Belagola village near Srirangapatna yesterday. Mangalamma, the victim, was living alone.

The Police said she was murdered between afternoon and 9.30 pm. It is suspected that someone known to her had committed the crime. The incident came to light when her grandson came to her house at 9.30 pm.

A case has been booked in KRS Police Station.

The series of murders in the surroundings of Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam, has worried the residents. Last Thursday, one more youth, 28-year-old Sagar of Karekura village, was hacked to death with lethal weapons and his body was dumped amidst fields.

These two murder cases come just days after five of a family including a woman and four children were murdered over an illicit affair at Bazaar Lane in KRS village on Feb. 6.

Though the accused woman in this case has been arrested, people in the neighbourhood have been terrified as to how innocent children fell victim to enmity that stemmed out of an illicit relationship.

Now as the COVID restrictions have completely been lifted, miscreants have started robbing tourists who come to see the places of scenic beauty in and around the KRS Dam, Belagola and surrounding areas.

Though only a couple of complaints have been filed with the Police, most tourists who are targeted by the criminals prefer not to report the incident to the Police. Usually, the tourists are in a hurry to rush back to their destinations after a vacation and this aspect is being misused by the criminals.

Yesterday too, an industrialist, who had come to KRS, was robbed of cash after waylaying his vehicle. But the victim did not lodge the Police complaint as he was in a tearing hurry to reach his destination, sources said.

This apart, sale of marijuana (ganja) is rampant in the areas and youths are becoming addicts. There are many who bunk colleges to smoke weed in wooded areas. The role of these ganja addicts in crimes cannot be ruled out as they need money to fund their vices, sources said.