Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (TP)
Udupi, May 20: Manipal police have arrested a woman accused in an attempt to murder and robbery case involving her roommate at Shantinagar in Manipal.
According to the police, complainant Megha Gowda was staying in a rented room in Shantinagar along with her friends Nagarathna, Gagana, and Yogitha. On May 12, Megha Gowda, Nagarathna, and Gagana had gone for night shift binding work in the industrial area, Manipal.
After completing work, the trio returned to their room at around 7:15 am on May 13 and found the room door partially open. On entering the room, they found Yogitha lying unconscious on the floor with severe head injuries and blood oozing from her head. Broken cement stones were found near her body. Her gold chain was also missing.
The injured woman was immediately shifted to a private hospital in Manipal. Based on the complaint filed by Megha Gowda, the Manipal police station registered a case.
Considering the seriousness of the crime, superintendent of police Hariram Shankar personally inspected the scene and directed a special investigation team led by Manipal police inspector Mahesh Prasad to trace the accused and recover the stolen property.
The investigation team examined CCTV footage from the surrounding area and questioned several suspects. During the investigation, police detained and interrogated the accused, identified as Sushma Annappa Naik (31), a resident of Bavikeri village, Keni post, Ankola taluk in Uttara Kannada district.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to the crime. Police said she was staying in a neighbouring room and was facing severe financial difficulties. According to the confession, her family had been pressuring her for money and asking her to return home as she had not been able to send money for nearly three years.
Police said the accused planned to steal Yogitha’s gold chain and earrings. On the night of May 12, she allegedly slept in the victim’s room and at around 4:30 am attacked Yogitha repeatedly on the head using a concrete hollow block while she was asleep. She then allegedly robbed the victim’s gold chain and earrings before returning to her room to avoid suspicion.
Later, when the roommates returned and raised an alarm after finding Yogitha injured, the accused reportedly joined them and accompanied them in shifting the victim to the hospital.
Police arrested the accused on May 13 and recovered the stolen gold chain and earrings from her possession.
The investigation was carried out under the guidance of additional superintendent of police Sudhakar Nayak and Udupi sub-division deputy superintendent of police Belliyappa, following the directions of superintendent of police Hariram Shankar.