Udupi: Mentally Ill Servant Kills Elderly Master, Arrested
Report and Pics by Inchara Kaup
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (RD)
Udupi, Sep 12: A mentally ill domestic servent allegedly murdered his elderly master, a progressive farmer with a sickle in Fakiranakatte in Kalattur village here on Monday September 12 early morning.
The accused, Umesh Venkappa Moily, has been arrested by Kaup police led by circle inspector Cheluvaraj B, for killing 92-year-old Jogappa Shetty.
Jogappa Shetty owned a farmland of 25 acres and was living with his relative Yashoda and her husband Dejappa.
On September 12, the accused Umesh who lives in a nearby house knocked on the door of Jogappa Shetty's house at about 3.30 am. When he opened the door, Umesh attacked him repeatedly with the sickle till he collapsed on the floor. However, niether Yashoda nor Dejappa, being elderly, heard Jogappa's cry. The couple learnt of the heinous crime only at around 6 am when Yashoda came towards the front door and saw Jogappa lying in a pool of blood. The couple rushed Jogappa to the hospital but in vain.
The mentally-ill Umesh was working as a domestic help in Jogappa Shetty's house. He was living in the property of Jogappa and was seen wandering around with a sickle and a club since Sunday September 11 afternoon. The locals coaxed him to return home, but in the wee hours of Monday he once again left home with a sickle and allegedly murdered Shetty.
Jogappa was a progressive farmer and a traditional medical practitioner. He was married in early in his childhood, and his marital relations were strained within a year. He left for Mumbai for a few years to work and returned to his native place, where he had been engaged in farming. He was a philanthropist and was felicitated by Mallar Unity Association recently during a function held at Dhoomavati temple, Paiyar.
Neighbours said Jogappa was treated his domestic help Umesh as his own son, despite the latter’s state of mind.
Umesh Moily’s family has been living on Jogappa Shetty's property for many years. Umesh’s two brothers and three sisters are also mentally-ill and are trouble makers in the neighbourhood, informed the locals.
He did not protest when the police arrested him. The sickle that was used to commit the crime was also recovered from Umesh.
SP Ravi Kumar Y S, ZP member Arun Shetty Padoor, Bellary entrepreneur Suresh Shetty Gurme paid a visit to the spot.
Shirva police registered a case in this regard. The police have taken Umesh’s brother Santosh for interrogation.