Madikeri: The Kodagu Police have arrested 33-year-old Prakash, alias Omkarappa, from Hammiyala village, on charges of beheading 16-year-old U.S. Meena, a student at Surlabbi Government High School, hours after she passed her SSLC exam on Thursday, following the announcement of results.

After committing the heinous crime, the perpetrator fled with the victim’s decapitated head. This morning, reports from Kodagu reveal that the severed head has been found and recovered 300 metres away from the scene of the crime. The accused Prakash guided the Police to the spot. Police are currently interrogating Prakash to ascertain the motive behind this gruesome act.

Though rumours were circulating that the accused Prakash was found dead near his residence in Hammiyala village late yesterday, the Police refrained from confirming this development, citing the lack of a body at the scene. Kodagu Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan today officially confirmed the arrest of the accused.

Meena, hailing from Kumbaragadige village in Somwarpet taluk of Kodagu, was engaged to Prakash on Thursday. However, in a fit of rage, Prakash stormed into her residence hours after the engagement ceremony and forcibly dragged Meena out, allegedly committing the                                                     heinous crime.

The engagement had drawn objections from the District Child Rights Protection Unit and officials from the Social Welfare Department visited Meena’s residence and provided counselling to her parents. 

They informed the parents that, given Meena’s status as a minor, any marriage arrangement would be illegal. Consequently, they obtained an assurance from the parents that they would refrain from arranging any marriage for their daughter until she reached the legal age of 18.

Villagers reported that Prakash, residing approximately three kilometres from Meena’s village, was engaged in various odd jobs to sustain himself. He had been a regular visitor to Meena’s house for the past year. Their close bond was apparent as he frequently escorted Meena to and from school on his bike. According to villagers, Meena’s parents also showed no objection to their relationship.

Victim’s father recounts the horror

In his statement to the Police, Meena’s father, Subramani, recounted the harrowing events that unfolded at their home on Thursday. He revealed that Prakash forcibly entered their house while Meena and her mother, Mutthakki, were engaged in household chores, while he himself was tending to his property nearby. 

Subramani said that he was alarmed upon hearing the screams of his wife and daughter, prompting him to rush back to the house. Upon his arrival, he discovered his wife injured and bleeding, apparently attacked by Prakash with a machete. 

The victim’s father recounted how Prakash then turned his aggression towards him, delivering a blow to his hips, rendering him immobilised. In a horrifying turn of events, Prakash proceeded to drag Subramani’s screaming daughter out of the house forcefully. Subramani told the Police that Prakash was repeatedly questioning who had informed the officials about the engagement. 

Meena’s mother, Mutthakki, has been admitted to K.R. Hospital in Mysuru in critical condition. The SP said, “We have received information indicating that Prakash arrived at Meena’s residence accompanied by two other individuals. Despite attempts by these individuals to calm him down, Prakash, overcome by rage, assaulted Meena’s parents and subsequently committed the heinous crime. We are currently pursuing the two individuals who were with Prakash at the time.”