Over two months after a resident of Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru was reported missing, his 56-year-old wife was arrested on Monday for conspiring to murder him with the help of her 33-year-old paramour. Two of their accomplices were also arrested during the course of the investigation.
The police identified the arrested individuals as Meenakshamma, her boyfriend Pradeep, and his associates Siddesh and Vishwas, all residents of Kadur. The deceased man, Subramanya, 60, was a tailor by profession, they said.
Meenakshamma was produced before a court and sent to judicial custody on Monday, officers added.
A missing man and body parts found on railway tracks
According to the police, Meenakshamma reached Kadur police station on June 2 with a complaint stating that her husband did not return home after going to his workplace on May 31. She claimed to have waited and checked with his friends before approaching the police. Investigators began by checking his mobile phone location.
On June 3, the railway police informed the Kadur police that they had discovered a half-burnt leg on the tracks nearby. A search was launched and the police and local residents managed to scour the area and find other parts of the body in the vicinity of Kadur railway station.
Meanwhile, officers probing the missing complaint noted that CCTV footage obtained from near Subramanya’s tailoring shop located in Kadur town showed him getting into a car with Pradeep, Siddesh and Vishwas on May 31.
“We picked up the three men and they spilled the beans during questioning. On June 8, we produced them before a court and recorded their arrest,” said a police officer associated with the probe. The men are currently in judicial custody.
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“They admitted to killing Subramanya and dumping the body. So it was clear that the body found was that of the missing man. As the investigation progressed, we realised that Pradeep and Meenakshamma were in a relationship but at first there was no evidence to back this,” the officer said.
Meenakshamma, however, appeared to be inconsolable on learning of her husband’s death. “We did not suspect her initially, but further questioning of Pradeep and his associates revealed her involvement. However, we had no evidence to arrest her besides Pradeep’s statement. We questioned her multiple times during which she denied having any role in the murder,” an officer said.
Officers said Call Details Records (CDR) of Meenakshamma and Pradeep showed that they had not exchanged any calls in the last six months. “However, we noticed that Meenakshamma called and messaged a number frequently. This number was found to be registered in the name of Pradeep’s mother. Technical probe revealed that Pradeep was using that SIM card,” a police officer said. This piece of information proved to be vital for her arrest.
The murder
The police said that on May 31, Pradeep and the other accused took Subramanya in their car to buy alcohol after striking up a casual conversation with him. Later, they consumed the liquor at an isolated spot near Sakrepatna. Under the influence of alcohol, Pradeep strangulated Subramanya.
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Later, they tried to burn the body but failed, officers said, adding that the men then disposed of the body, following which a stray dog dragged one of his legs onto the railway track.
Investigators said Meenakshamma approached the police only on June 2, after confirming that he was dead.
Speaking about the motive behind the crime, an officer said, “Meenakshamma and Subramanya have two daughters, who are married. They also have grandchildren. Four years ago, she came in contact with Pradeep who was also in the tailoring business and began pursuing an affair with him. However, Subramanya came to know about it, after which Meenakshamma wanted to eliminate him. She directed Pradeep to murder her husband with his friends.”