She was killed for gold, but killers got only Rs. 10

Mandya: Halagur Police have arrested a woman and her lover on charges of murdering a woman a year back. The killers were arrested in Bengaluru on Aug. 19.

Those arrested are Lakshmi, a native of Honniganahalli village in Channapatna taluk and residing at Challaghatta in Bengaluru and her lover G. Narayana alias Nani, a resident of Banashankari 3rd Stage in Bengaluru.

Lakshmi and Narayana, on July 28, 2021 had murdered Chandrakala alias Shobha (42). The duo took Chandrakala in an auto near Mullaiahnakatte Gudda in Malavalli taluk coming under Halagur Police limits and had killed her by smashing her head with a large stone. The body was found the next day morning by passersby, who had informed the jurisdictional Police.

Halagur Police, who had registered a case and began their investigation, came to know about a missing case of Chandrakala. A missing complaint in this regard was lodged in July, 2021. Following instructions from SP N. Yatish, Malavalli Sub-Division Dy.SP Naveen Kumar led a Police team comprising Halagur Circle Inspector B.S. Sridhar and a Technical team and intensified their investigation.

The Police team, which checked the mobile phone tower locations of Chandrakala, came to know that her SIM was active at the mobile towers in Halagur Police limits and also came to know that the mobile phone of accused Lakshmi was also active in the same location. The Police then took Lakshmi to their custody and subjected her to interrogation during which the murder came to light.

Accused Lakshmi and deceased Chandrakala were colleagues, who were working in a gunny bag stitching unit.

Lakshmi had observed that Chandrakala used to wear gold ornaments. She used to remove her gold jewellery and keep it in her purse and again wear them after reaching a safe place.

Lakshmi then hatched a plot to kill Chandrakala with the help of her lover Narayana, an auto diver and loot her gold ornaments. On July 28, 2021, Lakshmi took Chandrakala in the auto driven by Narayana and when they reached near Mullaiahnakatte Gudda, they bludgeoned Chandrakala to death. But when they opened the purse of Chandrakala, they only found Rs. 10. Disappointed, they returned to Bengaluru. As soon as the murder came to light, the Police arrested Lakshmi and Narayana.

Malavalli Sub-Division Dy.SP Naveen Kumar guided Halagur Circle Inspector B.S. Sridhar, SI D. Ravikumar and staff Annapoorna, Rangappa Salapur, Riyaz Pasha, Siddaraju, Rafiq, Nadaf, Chidambar, Mohammed Farooq, Mallikarjun Chulaki, Jayakumar and Siddegowda in the nabbing operation.