Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Nov 29: On Monday November 28, the fast track court here took up second of a series of murder cases registered against Mohan Kumar. Witnesses were examined relating to Leelavati, who went missing from Vamadapadavu, and allegedly got killed by Mohan.

Six witnesses including brother and father of Leelavati adduced evidence. Leelavati’s father, Babu Maistry, said that Leelavati, member of a self help group, had left home on September 9, 2005, saying that she would come back after a week’s training in self help groups. “She wore a gold chain, pendant, ear lobes, ring, and a watch. As she did not come back even after three weeks, a missing complaint was registered in Venoor police station. After I read in newspapers in 2009 that Mohan Kumar had murdered several unmarried girls by giving cyanide tablets to them, did I realize that he was responsible for my daughter’s death,” he said. Babu also identified some ornaments the policemen had recovered from the home of Mohan, as belonging to his daughter.

Member of self help group, Satish, confirmed that he had seen Leelavati with Mohan twice in separate programmes. Bhanuchandra, honorary president of Dr Ambedkar Samaja Seva Sangh, said that Leelavati had introduced Mohan to him near Bantwal taluk office a few months before going missing.  He said that Leevati told him that she loved a teacher and that she would marry him. “I did not know then that the person she was referring to was Mohan,” he explained.

Another witness, Dasappa Yedapadavu of Tulunadu Mansa Samaja Seva Sangha, also said he had noticed that Leelavati was moving around with Mohan at a programme in Mangalore Town Hall. “She told me she would marry Anand from Mundaje in Beltangady taluk,” he said. Another witness, Shivappa, also confirmed that Leelavati told him that she would marry a youth from Mundaje.

The witnesses dismissed charge of Mohan that they were giving false witnesses at the behest of the policemen.