Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jul 21: The extraordinary courage and presence of mind displayed by a local daily wage worker, Girish, played a crucial role in tracing and apprehending Chetan, the accused in the murder of Lavanya at the KSRTC bus stand in B C Road on July 16. His timely intervention, before the police officially arrested the accused near the Pacchanady dumping yard in Vamanjoor the following morning, has drawn widespread appreciation.
According to workers at the Pacchanady dumping yard, after allegedly fleeing the murder scene, Chetan drove towards Mangaluru and reached Vamanjoor. They suspect that he spent the night sleeping inside his Alto car, which was seen moving around the Pacchanady area during the night.
From L to R: Lavanya, Girish and Chetan
Recounting the incident, Girish, who works in a pickup vehicle transporting poultry waste from chicken shops in Gurpur, Kaikamba and nearby areas to the dumping yard, said that at around 8.30 am on Friday, a car stopped in front of a shop near the dumping yard.
"I was sitting on the cement platform outside the shop looking at my mobile phone. When I looked towards the parked car, the driver resembled Chetan, whose photograph I had already seen on my phone in connection with the brutal murder of Lavanya. I immediately went near the car and tried to question him. He partially lowered the window. When I asked him what he wanted, I directly questioned him, asking whether he was the person who had murdered the young woman at B C Road. He immediately appeared to be under tremendous pressure," Girish said.
After confirming that the man was indeed Chetan, Girish tried to pull him out of the car. Initially, the accused refused to come out but later stepped out, saying he wanted to wash his face. While doing so, he kept a close watch on Girish. He then returned to the car and attempted to drive away.
"When I tried to snatch the car key, he resisted. After a brief struggle, I managed to take the key from him. Shortly afterwards, he took out a small bottle and drank something from it," Girish recalled.
As the incident unfolded, Girish sought the help of local residents to detain the accused and immediately informed the police. Others present at the spot also alerted the police. Within about half an hour, police arrived at the scene, took Chetan into custody, and escorted him away in a police jeep.
Girish further revealed that two knives were found inside the accused's car. "At one point, while I was trying to seize the car key, he pushed me and attempted to take out a knife. I immediately kicked the knife away with my foot," he said.
According to Girish, the police thanked him for his timely intervention and told him, "We had been conducting an intensive operation since last night to trace and arrest the accused. Your alertness made it easier for us to apprehend him. Your courage is truly commendable."
Expressing his feelings, Girish said, "I was not afraid of death. My only thought was that the man who had committed the murder should be caught and handed over to the police. What happened at B C Road was extremely inhuman. I had watched the video of the incident on my mobile phone, and it deeply saddened me."