DHNS
 
Bangalore, Sep 16: Three members of a family were brutally hacked to death in broad daylight by their neighbour on Friday, while an octogenarian woman’s throat was slit by her former employee and his accomplice.
 
Sharadamma (60), her daughter Pushpalatha (35) who is a lawyer and son-in-law Ravishankar (40), an engineer working for a private company, were killed in front of their house in the morning by a sickle-wielding Kantharaju (23), son of neighbour Ramakrishna in Annapurneshwari Nagar in Jnanabharati police limits.

A land dispute is said to be the cause for the killings.

Ravishankar and Pushpalatha were leaving for their work at 9:30 am on a scooter when Kantharaju intercepted them near the gate and struck the husband on the neck with the sickle.

He also struck Pushpalatha on her neck with the weapon. On hearing their screams, Sharadamma rushed out of the house, only to be hacked to death by Kantharaju, police said.

All three died on the spot. Neighbours informed the police, who on arrival found that Ramakrishna, his wife Hemalatha and their two sons had gone absconding.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Sharat Chandra, the dispute has been going on between the two families for more than two years now. Sharadamma and her husband, Dr Mallappa, had constructed a house on a 60x40 foot plot in 1997.

After the death of Mallappa, his daughter Pushapalatha and son-in-law were staying with Sharadamma.

On an adjacent plot measuring 15x40 foot Ramakrishna built a house in 2003. Sharadamma claimed that Ramakrishnaís house had been illegally constructed, encroaching upon the road.

They had complained to local authorities. Ramakrishna contested their claim, following which the dispute had reached the court and a case is still pending. Pushpalatha was hopeful of getting a court order on Friday for the demolition of Ramakrishna’s house. The police said Ramakrishna and his two sons, Kantha-raj and Kiran hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Pushpalatha and Ravishankar.

The Jnanabharati police have registered a case. While Kantharaj was arrested later in the evening, Ramakrishna and his wife Hemalatha and son Kiran are still at large.

Kantharaju confessed that Ramakrishna abetted him into committing the murders. He was caught near Navarang, Rajajinagar, while collecting money from friends to flee Bangalore, a police press release said.

Octogenarian killed

Earlier on Thursday night, Ramu (20), along with his friend Kodanda (22), killed his former employer 83-year-old Lakshmamma by slitting her throat open at her house in Vyalikaval police limits.

However, the assailants were picked up by beat police in the wee hours of Friday when they were found moving around suspiciously with a gunny bag containing valuables. On interrogation, the duo confessed to their crime. When the police arrived at Lakshmamma’s house in the wee hours of Friday, her husband, builder Narayanraju, who selpt in another room was unaware of his wife being murdered in the house.

According to the police, Ramu, a native of Pavagada in Kolar district, was working as a servant in the house of the old couple, Narayanraju and Lakshmamma.

After 20 days, Lakshmamma dismissed Ramu after paying him his salary.

Swearing revenge, Ramu plotted to kill Lakshmamma and along with Kodanda went to the coupleís house late on Thursday night.

The duo managed to unlock the front door bolt through an adjacent window. They slipped into Lakshmamma’s room and slit her throat.

They took the almirah keys kept near her bed and walked out with Rs 2 lakh cash and 464 gm of gold jewellry worth Rs 5.84 lakh.