MYSURU: A woman from Chikkahejjuru village in Hunsur taluk allegedly murdered her husband and concocted a story that he had been dragged away by a tiger, all in an attempt to fraudulently claim the Rs 15 lakh government compensation provided to families of wild animal attack victims.
The accused, Sallapuri (40), has been arrested. Her husband, Venkataswamy (45), was found buried inside a cow dung pit near their home. The crime took place on September 9 in Chikkahejjuru on the Mysuru-Kodagu border.
The couple, originally from Bidadi, had been employed to maintain a 4.1 acre arecanut farm owned by two Bengaluru engineers. They lived on the property in a house provided by the owners and earned a salary of Rs 18,000 per month. They had two children, who stayed in Bidadi for schooling.
Investigators revealed that Sallapuri, driven by a desire for a lavish lifestyle, frequently enquired about government compensation schemes. She learnt that the state offers Rs 15 lakh to families of victims killed by wild animals. On September 9, Sallapuri allegedly poisoned her husband’s food. After he died, she dragged his body outside, buried it in a five-foot cow dung pit, and concealed it with dung, straw, and leaves.
She then went to Hunsur Rural Police and lodged a missing complaint, claiming that her husband had rushed outside after hearing a tiger’s roar and had been dragged into the forest. Believing her account plausible, as the house was close to Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, the police and forest officials launched a massive search.
The claim sparked panic. A tiger dragging a man from inside his house would have been an unprecedented case. Multiple police and forest teams, assisted by villagers, scoured the forest fringes and fields for two days. Sallapuri even pointed to a damaged fence, caused earlier by an elephant, as evidence of the tiger’s entry. However, officials grew suspicious as there were no pugmarks, blood stains, or signs of struggle. Sallapuri’s inconsistent statements further deepened doubts.
Inspector Muniyappa ordered a thorough search of the property. Officers noticed faint drag marks leading towards the cow dung pit. On digging, they uncovered a human hand. Confronted with evidence, Sallapuri confessed to the murder, admitting she had poisoned and buried her husband to claim compensation. The body was exhumed in the presence of Hunsur Assistant Commissioner Vijay Kumar.
A spot inspection was conducted, and CCTV footage from the farm confirmed that Sallapuri acted alone.
A dog squad and forensic experts were brought in for further evidence collection. The case, registered at Hunsur Rural Police Station, is being probed under the supervision of Additional SP C Mallik and DySP Gopalakrishna.