Bengaluru, Nov 9 (IANS) Police teams have launched a search operation in the dense forest region of Shiradi Ghat spread across Karnataka’s Hassan and Mangaluru districts for the bodies of two more victims in the alleged seven-member family murder case, based on the information provided by the accused, Indushekar.
The police team, accompanied by the accused, reached Shiradi Ghat on Monday and began searching for the bodies of his brother-in-law Shankar and sister-in-law Nalini. Police have so far recovered five bodies, including that of a 10-year-old boy, while the search for the remaining two victims is continuing.
According to the police, the bodies of Indushekar’s wife Sunitha and mother-in-law Roopavathi were traced near Tamil Nadu’s Salem. The bodies of his brother-in-law Shivakumar and sister-in-law Divya were recovered from two locations in the gorges beside the road at Chamundi Hills in Mysuru. The body of 10-year-old Puneeth was found near Nandi Hills on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
At Chamundi Hills, one body was found close to the roadside, while the other had fallen into a deep gorge. Both bodies were retrieved and sent for a post-mortem examination.
Police said the accused had selected a viewpoint along the road to dispose of the bodies. The stretch witnesses heavy two-way traffic every day, and parking is prohibited there. However, space is provided for vehicles during emergencies. Warning boards have been installed, stating that a fine of up to Rs 1,000 would be imposed for unauthorised parking and entering the forest area.
Meanwhile, investigators have found that Indushekar allegedly planned the murders in advance and procured materials required for carrying them out from shops in the surrounding areas. He had purchased packing materials, adhesive tape, chemicals, and plastic gunny bags from shops at the Yeshwanthpur RMC Yard. The chemicals were allegedly used to remove bloodstains after the murders.
Police have collected CCTV footage from the shops and other locations as part of the investigation. They have examined around 200 CCTV recordings and are now focusing on footage between October 14 and November 3 to establish the accused’s movements and the sequence of events.
Indushekar, also known as Indu Shekar or Sekar, was arrested by the Rajajinagar police for the alleged murders of seven members of his wife’s family. The victims include his wife Sunitha, mother-in-law Roopavathi, brothers-in-law Shivakumar and Shankar, sisters-in-law Divya and Nalini, and Puneeth, the son of Shankar.
The murders are suspected to have taken place over a period of around 20 days, between October 14 and November 3. Investigators suspect that the accused brought his relatives to his house in the Rajajinagar-Bhashyam Circle area on the pretext of family gatherings before allegedly killing them and transporting their bodies to different locations.
Police are also investigating the alleged role of the accused’s 17-year-old daughter in the case. A 10-year-old boy reportedly survived the incident.
The investigation is continuing, with police teams searching for the remaining two bodies at Shiradi Ghat and examining CCTV footage and other evidence to establish the sequence of the alleged murders.
–IANS
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