Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (MS)

Puttur, Aug 8: Whereabouts of Ashraf, accused in the murder case of Vadya Soumya Bhat, who was brutally raped and murdered 26 years ago, are still not known. He had escaped from the custody of police.

Ashraf heinously murdered Sowmya, who was final year BSc student of Puttur Vivekananda College.

On August 5, 1997 at 5 pm, Sowmya got down from bus at Kabaka after completion of her college for the day and was walking towards her home at Kedila. Ashraf tried to sexually assault Sowmya near the deserted railway track. Sowmya managed to escape from him and started running. Ashraf caught Sowmya at Aladagundi and stabbed her 20 times and escaped from the spot.

Communal violence broke out in Puttur after the murder and curfew was declared. At last, the accused was arrested. However, in the next two months, accused Ashraf escaped from the prison. He was arrested again in few days from Panemangalore of Bantwal. Ashraf managed to escape again from the prison within two years and is not traced till now. It is suspected that he is living abroad.

Ashraf was serving in Indian military. He had come to his native place a month before the incident. Two days before the incident, the accused met victim Sowmya’s father and asked about Sowmya. Ganapati Bhat, father of Sowmya thought that he must be her classmate and told him about her college matter. However, Ashraf took details in order to sexually harass her.

After the murder, rumours were also spread that accused Ashraf is a pervert. It is said that two days before the murder of Sowmya, he had entered a nearby house and assaulted a girl.