MYSURU: A Mysuru Urban Development Authority’s (MUDA) assistant engineer is suspected to be behind the murder of Srinath, an RTI activist, whose body was found on the banks of Cauvery river on Friday.
Sources in the Police Department said six persons including the MUDA engineer, his driver and office-bearers of a private housing co-operative society have been detained based on the statements given by the family members of the Srinath.
The 36-year-old RTI activist’s brothers Srinivas and Pradeep told reporters that he faced threat openly from the MUDA engineer and some others from a housing co-operative society as he had exposed them.
Exposed illegal layout
He had reportedly exposed how residential layout was built without permission from MUDA by digging information through RTI during the last three years. Police have recovered the documents related to the layout in question and others from his house.
A resident of Rajarajeshwarinagar in city, Srinath was found murdered with injuries on his face, legs and private parts. Sources said the persons detained are being questioned in an undisclosed place.
City Police Commissioner A Subramanyeshwara Rao, DCP HT Shekar and KR ACP C Mallik visited the murder spot on Saturday. Srirangapatna Police have registered a case. The top cop only said that the investigation is underway.
Police said Srinath’s body was wrapped in four bed sheets and a pit had been dug near the body where turmeric, kumkum, eggs and other items were found to make it appear as a case of black magic in order to mislead the investigation. Thursday was a New Moon day (amavasye).
Went missing on Thursday
Srinath had gone out from his house on Thursday on his bike and when his brother V Srinivas called him up at 7.30 pm, he had said that he was on his way to the house of one building supervisor Kumar at Vijayanagar and would return soon. When Srinath did not return and both of his mobile phones were switched off, the family members lodged a missing person complaint with the Kuvempunagar Police Station. Srinath’s mobile and bike have not yet been recovered.