MYSORE: Nanjangud town police busted the mysterious killing of a college student with the arrest of four accused. The team headed by Nanjangud circle inspector Pramod Kumar arrested Srikanth (18), Raghavendra (18), Mukunda (19) and an auto driver Mahesh on the charges of murdering Ramya on December 6. Another accused Harish (19) was absconding. All these four accused were produced before the JMFC Court, on Sunday, which remanded them in judicial custody till January 3.
Victim Ramya was a second year BBM student of Government Degree College at Vijayanagar in Mysore. She stayed with her parents at Paduvarahalli. Her parents hailed from Ullepura village, Chamarajanagar taluk.
According to Nanjangud police, victim Ramya had an affair with Mukunda. Prior to this, she was in love with Srikanth, another accused. Ramya reportedly asked Mukunda to marry her. When he denied to tie the knot, she threatened to commit suicide, with a warning of leaving a suicide note against Mukunda.
Mukunda then allegedly plotted the murder along with his other friends - Srikanth, Raghavendra, and Harish, who are all construction workers. They decided to kill Ramya with the help of an auto driver and their friend Mahesh.
It is alleged that Mukunda invited Ramya to KRS, stating that he was ready to marry her at Nanjangud temple on December 6. She was kidnapped mid-way by him at 9 pm. They took the victim towards Nanjangud in the Mahesh’s goods auto. After reaching Goddanapura village, they allegedly strangled her. They took the body to Kempi Siddana Hundi, where it was set ablaze with petrol.
On December 7, a villager Mari lodged a complaint with the Nanjangud town police after he found a charred body lying in the field. Based on a tip-off, police arrested Mahesh, who during investigation, “spilled the beans”. Postmortem was done to find out whether she was raped before she was strangled.