Pics: Pareekshith Shet
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (PS/EP)
Udupi, Mar 10: It has been 12 days since the murder of 68-year-old Laxman Maindan at Kalaibail, Pitrody here, but the police are still clueless about the murderers. But in a significant breakthrough, the police have recovered the murder weapon, and so also Laxman's two-wheeler which had gone missing.
Laxman Maindan was murdered in cold blood in a room next to his under-construction house in Pitrody, Udyavar on February 27. The murder was first brought to light by Dilip, a worker at the nearby ice plant, who had come to water Laxman's under-construction house. As he saw Laxman's mobile phone fallen outside the house and his scooter missing, he opened the door of the house and found Laxman lying in a pool of blood.
The police led by SP Annamalai and probationary SP Suman started investigations. The canine squad had initially led the team to the nearby ice plant and returned, and also to a nearby well. The police questioned the ice plant workers. The knife used in the crime and axe used for sharpening stones was found in the well a few days of the murder, raising suspicions that two or more people might have been involved in the crime.
The scooter that was missing at the time of the crime was found near Murdeshwara lodge after three days of the incident, with its key missing.
The family members suspect that the accused, after committing the crime, washed their hands and legs and threw the weapons used in the crime in the well and fled in the scooter.
"It was a pre-planned murder," alleged Laxman's family members while speaking to daijiworld.
The police have questioned the masons in connection to the murder. The chain and watch of the victim were also missing and the family members have said that the killers may have also taken away money from Laxman's pocket.
The family members have urged SP Annamalai to nab the killers as soon as possible.
As per the family of the deceased and his friends, Laxman did not have enemies who would want to kill him. "Laxman was a friendly and straightforward person. He did not have any enemies," said the family members.
He was the owner of four boats and was constructing a house for his youngest son. He used to stay in the two rooms next to the under-construction house once in two or three days. He used to stay in the house of his daughter at Kodavoor on other days.
It has been confirmed that the culprites had gone to Murdeshwar in the stolen scooter.
Laxman's son-in-law suspects that it was a pre-planned murder and urged the police to expedite the investigation.
Speaking to Daijiworld, SP Annamalai said, "There are some clues regarding the murderers who are suspected to be from other districts and the investigation is progressing in the right direction."