Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Jun 9: Police of Kumaraswamy Layout here have arrested a couple and their three friends for murdering a cab driver, who became friend of a lady over Facebook and then pestered her for illicit relationship.
The murdered cab driver happens to be Kirankumar (30), resident of Tattaguppe on Kanakapura Road. The accused arrested are Suma (25), resident of Chandranagara, K S Layout, her husband, Raghavendra (31), and the couple's friends, Nagesh (29) from Banashankari, Anthony Swamy (24) from Kadambarinagara, and Athish Selvi (20) from Sarakki. These details were provided by deputy commissioner of police of southern division, Dr S D Sharanappa, addressing a press conference here on Wednesday June 8.
Kiran, living with his parents, got to know Suma on Facebook two years ago. Kiran and Suma chatted with each other often. They later exchanged cellphone numbers and spoke over phone for long hours. In course of time, they got to know personally, and Kiran often visited Suma at her home. After learning about this, Raghavendra went to Kiran's home with friends and warned his family to stay away from his wife. He also took away cellphone from Suma. Still, Kiran continued to loiter around Suma's house and made efforts to talk to her. On one such occasion about two months back, Raghavendra had beaten up Kiran, taken him to his home, and repeated his warning to keep distance from his family. Undeterred by these incidents, Kiran continued with his efforts, came near Raghavendra's home now and then and created problems for Suma, it is said.
Angered by this, Raghavendra planned to teach Kiran a lesson. He got his wife to invite Kiran to his home on May 4. On arrival, Kiran was confined to a room and beaten up by him and his friends with clubs, belt etc. Injured Kiran was looked after for three days at Raghavendra's home, after which he informed Kiran's parents and admitted him into KIMS hospital. Thereafter, Raghavendra and Suma surrendered in the court and secured bail. Kiran died on June 5 in the hospital. Thereafter, the case of assault was converted into murder and the accused were arrested, Sharanappa explained.
The police said that Raghavendra was not aware about his wife's closeness to Kiran. After Suma left with Kiran for tour of Madikari in his car telling her husband that she was attending a relative's marriage, Kiran had uploaded photos of the two clicked at various spots, which were shared by Suma. When Raghavendra questioned his wife about it, he came to know about this Facebook friendship, police said.