BENGALURU: The police have claimed to have solved the murder case of 43-year-old Prathima KS, senior geologist, with the arrest of her former driver.
The accused, identified as Kiran, 32, of Jamboo Savari Dinne at Konanakunte in the city, was arrested at the Male Mahadeshwara Hills on Sunday.
Investigations revealed that Kiran, who was sacked from job, murdered the officer as she did not pay heed to his repeated requests to reappoint him as her car driver.
Kiran was appointed as a driver on a contract basis by the Department of Mines and Geology eight years ago. He was Prathima’s driver and was reportedly sacked two months ago for misconduct.
The police traced his phone call and managed to arrest him there. He was planning to go to Tamil Nadu, the police said.
Kiran was produced before the Second Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Court, which remanded him in police custody till November 15. The accused has a criminal history. A case of attempt to dacoity was registered against him by Konanakunte police in 2017.
Rahul Kumar Shahapurwad, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), told reporters that Kiran worked as Prathima’s driver for four years at the Bengaluru Urban office of the Mines and Geology Department near Vidhana Soudha.
On learning that Kiran lost his job, his wife, who believed him to be a permanent government employee, reportedly left him. Kiran’s father too works as a driver in the same department. Kiran confessed that
he murdered Prathima as he was not reappointed as her driver, he said.
On Saturday, Kiran waited at Prathima’s house for her to return from office. When she arrived, Kiran appealed to her to reappoint him as her driver. When Prathima refused, Kiran strangled her with her veil. Later, he slit her throat with a knife from her kitchen. Before leaving home, Kiran latched the grill door, the officer said.
He visited Prathima’s house even on Friday, but could not meet her. He even tried to meet Prathima at her office. Kiran was reportedly involved in an accident while driving the office vehicle. He allegedly used to leak information about the raids planned by the department. When this matter was brought to the notice of the department, he was removed from job, the officer said.
The DCP said, “We are yet to recover the weapon used by Kiran to commit the murder. Kiran took away Rs 15,000 from Prathima’s purse and spent it.” Further investigations are on. Meanwhile, the last rites of Prathima were performed in Tirthahalli, Shivamogga district, on Monday.
