MYSURU: In a horrific incident, a 20-year-old woman was brutally murdered by her lover, who put an electric detonator in her mouth and exploded it, in Bherya village of Saligrama taluk in Mysuru district. The accused initially tried to mislead people, claiming that she had died in a mobile phone blast.
The victim, Darshitha, who hailed from Gerasanahalli in Hunsur taluk, was the mother of a two-year-old girl. She was allegedly killed by her paramour Siddaraju BN (22), a hardware shop employee from Bilikere village in Periyapatna taluk. The two had been in a relationship for seven years.
Darshitha was married to Subhash AP from Kannur in Kerala, who works as a driver in Dubai. Taking advantage of her husband’s absence, she frequently visited Mysuru to meet Siddaraju.
On August 22, Darshitha came to her village with her daughter. The following day, she met Siddaraju to visit Kappadi temple. Later, the two checked into a lodge in KR Nagar. During their stay, the couple quarrelled. Siddaraju tied an electric detonator to Darshitha’s mouth and exploded it, killing her instantly, the police said.
To cover up the crime, Siddaraju had closed the room door, which locked automatically. He stepped out pretending to buy food, and then returned with a parcel. As the door was locked, he asked the lodge staff to help open the room. When the staff broke open the door, they found Darshitha in a pool of blood. Siddaraju pretended to be shocked and claimed that the mobile phone blast may have killed her. He tried to shift the body to a hospital. But not convinced by his explanation, the lodge staff alerted the police, who arrived immediately.
When the police interrogated Siddaraju, he confessed to the murder, saying he had spent a large amount of money on Darshitha, but she had started avoiding him. Siddaraju said Darshitha wanted to end their relationship and move to Dubai to stay with her husband.
Explosives shattered woman’s jaw
The police said Siddaraju had learnt how to use explosives as the hardware shop where he works is next to a stone quarry. “The blast impact had shattered the woman’s jaw. The explosive remains have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for testing,” a police officer said.
Meanwhile, Subhash’s mother Sumatha and younger brother Sooraj, quarry workers in Kerala, filed a complaint with the Karikkottakary police on Friday, alleging that 240 gm of gold and Rs 4 lakh cash had been stolen from their house. They had named Darshitha as a suspect. But before the investigation could begin, she was found dead in Mysuru. The Saligrama police have registered a case and are investigating further.