Last rites held together; accused son performs rituals after obtaining Court’s permission

Mysore/Mysuru: In a tragic turn of events, parents of a murder accused died in separate incidents in the city.

The mother of one of the four accused, who had stabbed to death a youth at Vidyanagar on Aug. 19 night over a petty row, committed suicide, while her husband, a co-accused in the same murder case, died of heart attack at hospital.

It may be recalled that on Aug. 19 at about 9.45 pm, one Balaraj, a resident of Vidyanagar had allegedly abused a youth in foul language following which three youths identified as 20-year-old Tejas alias Samrat of Vidyanagar, 20-year-old Sanjay alias Sanju alias Soppu of Metagalli and 20-year-old Kiran alias Beggar of Vidyanagar, stabbed Balaraj, at the instigation of 50-year-old N.M. Umashankar alias Samrat father of Tejas.

Nazarbad Inspector K. Jeevan and staff, who rushed to the spot, conducted mahazar, registered a case and arrested four accused

Meanwhile, Indrani (40), mother of Tejas, who heard about her husband and son being arrested in the murder case, became depressed and allegedly ended her life by hanging self at her house on Sunday afternoon.

Nazarbad Police, who registered a case, shifted the body to MMC&RI mortuary and had initiated legal procedure.

Meanwhile, Umashankar, who had been remanded to judicial custody and put up in Central Prison Mysuru, heard the news of his wife’s death and went into a state of shock.  He complained of severe chest pain and on Monday midnight and the Jail officials shifted him to K.R. Hospital immediately, but Umashankar breathed his last yesterday morning.

Mandi Police, who registered a case, shifted the body of Umashankar to Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI) mortuary for post-mortem, where  autopsy of the couple was conducted.  The bodies were handed over to their relatives by Mandi and Nazarbad Police.

Last rites of Indrani and Umashankar were performed together at the foot of Chamundi Hill.

Meanwhile, accused Tejas, the only son to his parents, after obtaining permission from the Court, participated in the last rites of his parents, before being taken back to jail later.

Nazarbad Police, who have registered a case against Umashankar, his son Tejas, Sanjay and Kiran under IPC Sections 302 and 341 read with 34, 3(2), (1/a) of SC and ST Act are investigating.