Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Mar 17: The police have succeeded in solving the murder mystery of Manimegalai (47), a resident of Cholarapalya on Magadi Road here on March 13. The killer, whose identity came to be known because of her unique hairstyle, happens to be Vijayalakshmi alias Vijaya (50), resident of Handigudisalu in K P Agrahara here. She had killed her friend, and robbed Rs 7.5 lac in cash, 200 grams of gold ornaments and 500 grams of silver ornaments. Before going away, she had also set fire to the bed in which Manimegalai's body was lying, with the purpose of destroying any evidence.

This information was given by additional police commissioner, Alok Kumar, addressing a press conference here on Monday March 16.

On March 12, Manimegalai had visited her friend, Vijaya, at K P Agrahara. She had told Vijaya that she was looking to purchase a house and that she had seven lac rupees in cash with her. Vijaya requested her for loan repayable in six months, for which Manimegalai had agreed and invited Vijaya to her home. On the way to Manimegalai's house on March 13, Vijaya bought soft drinks from a bakery. Once she reached friend's house, she asked Manimegalai to bring some water. When she went into the kitchen, Vijaya emptied the soft drink into two glasses, and mixed cyanide powder into one of the glasses which she offered to Manimegalai.

After Manimegalai collapsed on the bed, Vijaya robbed all the cash and valuables in the house, and torched the bed before leaving her friend's home. However, the fire did not spread, and was smouldering when Manimegalai's son, Ilangovan, reached home sometime thereafter.

When police questioned neighbours, one of them revealed that he had seen a woman with short hair which looked like the hairstyle of men, closing the gates of the house. When the police questioned Ilangovan and his father, both were reminded about Vijaya. The Magadi Road police rushed to the spot and took Vijaya, who was trying to decamp from K P Agrahara, into custody.