Bengaluru, Aug 21 (IANS): In a shocking incident, miscreants killed an elderly couple within the limits of Kumaraswamy Layout in Bengaluru on Friday.

The incident, which took place on the day of the Varamahalakshmi festival, has shocked the city.

The deceased persons have been identified as Shantharaju (65), a former mechanic with the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), and his wife Premalatha (62). The elderly couple was stabbed and strangulated by the miscreants.

The police have formed four special teams to nab the assailants.

According to the police, the couple, who didn't have any children, lived in their own property in Kashinagar. They had rented out two houses and lived in that income. The couple spoke to their neighbours till afternoon. However, they were found murdered later.

Preliminary investigations suggest the crime to be the handiwork of known persons. The police suspect that the miscreants spent time with the victims before committing the crime, as three glasses were found on the table.

The miscreants stabbed Shantaraju and then used a pillow to suffocate him to death. Premalatha was dragged to another room where she was strangulated to death with a cable wire.

The police are checking the CCTV footages of the area, besides recording the statements of the neighbours.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant and Additional Police Commissioner Soumendu Mukharjee have rushed to the spot.

The police are also checking if anything has been stolen from the house as one almirah was found open, Kamal Pant said.