Bengaluru: Cook loses life for taking frequent leaves; three held for murder

BENGALURU: THE Marathahalli police have arrested a gang of three men who allegedly murdered a cook working in a PG for going on leave frequently. They even burnt his body to destroy evidence.
The accused are Rami Reddy alias Ram Reddy (52), owner of Seven Hills Gents’ Paying Guest accommodation in Kadubeesanahalli, Mahesh Reddy N (22), who worked in the PG, and Vineet N (22), who lived in the PG and worked as supervisor of house keeping department in a software company. The trio are accused of murdering Murali (25), a native of Kuppam of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. He was working as a cook in the PG accommodation.

Police said, “The half-burnt body of a youth was found at Airview Compound at Challaghatta Road on Kempapura on Saturday morning around 7.30pm. The residents alerted the police about the incident. Police rushed to the spot and prime facie it was established that it was a murder as the body was half burnt and the victim’s hands and legs were tied.”

A team led by Maratthalli police inspector Sadiq Pasha launched a probe into the murder.
“Footage from over 200 security cameras in the locality was analysed to zero in on the suspects. Also, CCTV footage from a petrol pump where the killers had purchased a litre of petrol to burn the body matched with other suspects. Besides, tower dump of mobile phone signals was analysed. We zeroed in on Mahesh Reddy and he was under constant watch. He was picked up for questioning and he confessed to the murder. The murder was cracked within three days after it was reported,” the police said.

“Based on Mahesh’s revelation other two accused were also arrested. They confessed that Mahesh Reddy, the supervisor of the PG, was irked with Murali taking leave frequently. On Friday night, the accused trio and Murali got drunk. Meanwhile, an argument ensued between Murali and Mahesh over the same issue and Murali assaulted Mahesh. The trio then decided to kill him and assaulted him with sticks and murdered him. They then tied Murali’s hands and legs, put it in a plastic sack. Vineet later rented a car and they went in the car to dispose the body. After dumping the body at Airview Compound, they set it on fire and left,” the police added.