Bangalore, Oct 10 (DHNS) : Raising concerns over the safety of home-alone women in the City, a 37-year-old woman was found murdered in her house at Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) Colony, Kamakshipalya, on Tuesday afternoon.
The victim was identified as Sujatha, a resident of first main road, first cross, KHB Colony near Sri Krishna Kalyan Mantap. The house is located just a stone’s throw away from the residence of K Ranganna, Kamakshipalya (ward 101) corporator.
Sujatha was married to Murugananda and the couple have two sons — Tarun, 14, and Roshan, 8. Murugananda owns a printing press unit in Kamakshipalya and the couple had moved into the house nearly 10 years ago. Sujatha’s parents stay in the next lane. Ganesh, the victim’s father, also owns a printing press unit, and had built a house for Sujatha, his only daughter, said the police.
Sujatha was alone at home after her sons left for school and her husband for work. The family’s domestic help Lakshmamma came for work around 11:30 am, immediately followed by Sujatha’s brother Sundar. Lakshmamma told Sundar that she had knocked on the door, but there was no response.
Sundar immediately called Sujatha’s cellphone. A man answered the call and said there was an accident and that the victim was hospitalised. He disconnected the call before Sundar could ask about the hospital.
Sundar then went to collect a duplicate key of the house, while Lakshmamma went upstairs to collect clothes on the clothes line, said the police.
Sundar told the police that he returned after sometime and saw a stunned Lakshmamma sitting near Sujatha. “She told me that someone had covered her mouth with tape and she was breathless. We removed the tape from her mouth and contacted my friends and doctors. A doctor came and declared her dead after check-up,” he said.
Chandrashekhar, an eye-witness and a family friend, told Deccan Herald: “I rushed to Sujatha’s house after a call from Sundar. She was lying in the hall and was dead by the time the police and the doctor arrived.”
Inside job?
The police claimed it was a murder committed by someone known to the family. “There was a cup of coffee and some biscuits when we went inside. The assailant(s) have searched for valuables all over the house as it was ransacked.
It is not known whether they fled with the valuables. A silver anklet from Sujatha’s right leg is missing, while her gold chain was intact,” DCP (West) S N Siddaramappa said.
There was a mobile handset cover near the body. There were injury marks on her body but no signs of resistance from Sujatha. There were no indications of molestation or attempt to molestation either, said the police.
Lakshmamma told Deccan Herald that Sujatha never entertained strangers. She
would peep through a small window before opening the door.
“Someone who knew the family was rich, murdered Sujatha. They had no enemies, nor had property disputes. There were nearly 10 jewellery boxes and all of them were empty. Some cash was also missing,” said Ranganna.
On Tuesday, Sujatha was supposed to accompany father Ganesh to a bank. Ganesh had in fact come near her house and called her up. Getting no response, he went to the bank. Later, he got a call from Sundar saying Sujatha was admitted in a hospital. He rushed to her residence, only to find her murdered.