Observer The weekly
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
VOL13ISSUE16
20-year-old killed in hit-andrun accident
Angry brother attempts to kill sister
PAGE2
PAGE3
ISRO launches India’s first mission to Mars
PAGE4
Kidnapped and murdered Sneha Mejari
Twomenhavebeenbookedfor kidnappingandmurderinga4year-oldgirlandlaterdumping heronNICEroad. On January 21, Chanamari Gowda, Supervisor Officer, found a body near Lal stands on NICE road. According to Girish, an official in Byatarayanapura Police Station, the body was completely rotten and the hands and legs were tied with a rope. Identifying the gender was also a problem for the police due to the condition of the body. During the post mortem, doctors found a pair of earrings which were identified by Nityashri, the victim’s mother. Harshika, the victim, was kidnapped on January 17, while she was playing in the backyard of her house. Her father, Venugopal, filed a missing report soon aer she went missing. Investigating Officer T. Kodandram said that the two suspects, Umesh, 19, who was a tenant at Venugopal’s house and Chetan, 24, who was a family friend, got to know about the land deal which earned Venugopal some money. ey then planned to kidnap Harshika and blackmail them by demanding two lakh rupees as ransom. Chetan worked as a driver at his
uncle’s place and also had served as a driver for Venugopal few years back. Umesh, an auto rickshaw driver, was staying at Venugopal for a year.
According to the statement given by Chetan to the police, he dreamed of buying his own car which served as the main reason for kidnapping. He knew he could
not do it alone, so on January 16 he along with the help of Umesh abducted Harshika by taking her away on his bike and later hid her in an auto which belonged to
Exclusive
Umesh(le)andChetan(right)inthepolicestationaerbeingarrestedforthemurderofHarshika
Umesh. He convinced the girl to come with them by telling her that they would take her for a ride on the bike. He added that as Venugopal immediately filed a missing report, they did not get a chance of asking for a ransom. When they came back to check on the girl on January 19, they found her unconscious. So they hit her with a rod followed by strangling her with a sari, aer which the girl died and was dumped on NICE road. Police Inspector, Balaraja said, “e final identification was done with the help of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report. As evidence, a cloth and a rubber mat in which the victim was wrapped, which belongs to Umesh, will be produced in the court by the police. “A charge sheet has been filed in the Court where Chetan and Umesh will be produced for their trial,” he said. e accused are currently in the central prison and police have seized the auto and the bike that was used for kidnapping the girl. e first hearing was scheduled for October 8 but failed to take place as the accused could not turn up due to shortage of staff to escort them. e next hearing is scheduled to be on November 7.
e Weekly Observer
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
2
Smothered while cops patrolled Tulana Nayak vealed that it is a clear case of
in the murder are now alert because
“strangulation ligature”.
they know that the police will be
Ramit said: “My friend called me
visiting the site again and again.
up and told that he saw a dead body
ey have stopped coming to that
lying near the BDA complex, so we
place, so it’s difficult to trace the ac-
called up the police and informed.”
cused.”
According to Koramangala police,
“It’s a physical and mental torture
a vacant land near BDA complex
to these women and they are bound
which is quite deserted is used by
to get into such an occupation be-
the customers to pick up the girls.
cause of their poverty and circum-
A police informant confirmed the
“
e post mortem details have revealed that it is a clear case of strangulation ligature
stances”, he added.
body was that of Saraswati, 32, a sex
Saraswati, who was brutally killed and then le on the road
worker. He also told the police that
A sex worker was strangled by a
the body was unidentified and but
the clients were very ruthless with
client as police patrolled nearby.
some days later the police was in-
the women.
Police are hunting for her killer
formed that she was Saraswati, a sex
aer he shoved mud and towels in
worker.
her mouth so police could not
“When the women used to shout out of pain unable to resist the
A Police informant said that dur-
beastly act of the customers, they
ing a police raid, the accused got
try shutting their mouths.” he
Ramit D. Shetty, filed a complaint
alert about the patrolling and
added.
in the Koramangala police station
stuffed Saraswati’s mouth with a
e Koramangala Police has been
aer he saw a dead body near Ko-
towel. But when she continued re-
trying to find out more about the
ramangala 3rd Block on 11th Sep-
sisting, the man first filled her
accused but hasn’t reached any con-
tember, 2013 at 11.30 in the
mouth with mud and then stran-
clusion. T.D. Pawar, Deputy Com-
morning.
gled her with a cable.
missioner of Police, South East
hear her screams.
During the initial investigation
e post mortem details have re-
Division said: “e people involved
Notorious gang of dacoits arrested Vaishnavi Desai
Koramangala Police Station, where the case was lodged by Ramit
20-year-old killed in hit and run accident
A gang of six dacoits was arrested
Suchitra Sharma
by Bangalore police.
A young man was killed in a hit
Chetan alias Chetu (20), GopiVi-
and run accident by a speeding
jay (22), Rajesh (19), Dhananjay
bus in a city ward.
and
Pankesh Kumar, 20, was run over
Suryaprasad (22) were arrested on
by a speeding bus at 10.40 p.m. in
October 10, 2013 by Halasuru Po-
Okalipuram on 10th October .
(20),
Yogananda
(21)
Pankesh was riding a two wheeler,
lice Station at 10:45 pm. A team led by D.C.Manju, Sub-
Honda Activa, when the speeding
Inspector of Police arrested the
VRL bus hit him from the rear. He
Goni Basappa, 29, bus driver
succumbed to his injuries on the
sustained many injuries and the
spot.
Activa was completely crushed.
gang aer being informed of their presence in Cubbonpet.
Halasuru Police Station
e accused have been booked
and held a pregnant lady and an old
Hebbagodi where Rs. 48 lakh was
Pankesh’s elder brother, Ramesh
Goni Basappa, 29, the driver of
under IPC section 399/402. A
woman hostage. ey stole cash
stolen from the victim’s residence.
B, 24, an electrician, said: “He was
the VRL bus, had been arrested but
Maruti Zen car, two-wheeler
worth Rs. 28,000 and jewels worth
e Police team which was suc-
on his way to play dandiya and that
has been out on bail. e case is on
Honda Activa and weapons were
Rs.5 lakh including eight silver
cessful in cornering the gang in-
is when the accident happened.”
going in the ird Traffic Court.
seized.
glasses, 150 gram gold and a mobile
cluded Chandrashekhar, Jagdish,
Ramesh lodged an FIR at the
Traffic Police Constable, Nagaraj,
phone.
Mruthunjaya,
Malleshwaram Traffic Police Sta-
27, said: “We have booked him
tion. According to the FIR, the ac-
under sections 2 and 304 (A) of the IPC.”
Chetan burgled the house of Tim-
Rajesh,
Harish,
megowda, a resident of HMT Lay-
Chetan sold the chain to a pawn
out on October 2, 2013. Chetan was
shop. e police have seized the
e accused have been sent to
cident took place at K.B. Junction
informed by Sandeep, a lawyer
jewels from the pawn broker as
Bangalore Central Jail in Parappana
in Okalipuram.As Pankesh fell off
Any spokesperson from the VRL
about money and jewels in the
well.
Agrahara and two more from the
the vehicle the bus ran over him
bus company could not be con-
gang are still absconding.
killing him right there. e body
tacted regarding the accident.
house. e gang attacked the house
e second burglary occured at
Raghavendra and Yamunappa.
e Weekly Observer
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
3
Duo robs ATM kiosk, kills security guard Tanisha Das
Jinto and Nabho used to work as
A security guard was stabbed to
labourers in Assam and had come
death in a city ward by two men
to Bangalore when Nabho Kour
trying to rob an ATM machine.
had received a call from a relative in
Twenty three-year-old Haris-
Bangalore. Aer this, he had started
hankar Sharma was from Madhya
working at Mr. Kumar’s house. Jinto
Pradesh and had recently joined as
had joined Nabho a year later. e
a security personnel at the Dod-
two men wanted to make quick
danakundi IDBI ATM centre.
money and so they decided to rob
e robbers tried to break in and
the ATM machine.
unlock the ATM machine on 28th
“is was their first offence and
October at around 3.30 a.m.
“
ey wanted to rob that machine because they saw it everyday, it was close to where they used to live. - J. Gautamma, In s p e c tor, M a h a d e vpura Police Station
that’s why they were caught. Had
When Harishankar tried to stop
they done this before, they wouldn’t
did not feel bad but now we are
the duo from breaking the ma-
have been caught,” said Mahade-
feeling bad.”
chine, the two men stabbed the
vpura Police Inspector.
guard repeatedly on his head, right side of his eye and his stomach.
Nabho has two sisters, his parents
When they both were questioned-
and a brother and Jinto has two
about why they had killed the secu-
brothers and his parents who live in
e two men, Jinto Debnath and
rity guard, Nabho said, “At that
Morigaon, Assam. On being asked
Nabho Kour have been arrested by
time, our heads were not working.”
if their parents were coming to
the Mahadevpura Police Station
On being asked why they attacked
Bangalore, Nabho said: “We don’t
and are in judicial custody and
that particular ATM machine, Jinto
know if they have been informed
presently are in the Central Jail.
said, “We wanted to rob that ma-
yet. And they don’t speak Hindi,
chine only.”
what will they do here?”
Both men are from Assam and had been working for Munendra
J. Gautamma, Inspector at the
Mr. Kumar, the businessman for
Kumar Bharati, a businessman in
Mahadevpura Police Station said,
whom Jinto and Nabho worked, has
Bangalore and a native of Assam.
“ey wanted to rob that machine
not informed the family of the ac-
because they saw it everyday, it was
cused.
ey took care of his dogs and also worked as gardeners at the busi-
Jinto and Nabho aer being arrested by the Mahadevpura police
nessman’s house.
quired about how they injured their
to the hospital. e two men were
On being asked if they felt bad or
have any phone numbers. I really
e duo hurt their hands while
hands, they said that they had fallen
almost immediately caught aer
guilty for what they had done,
don’t want to talk about the inci-
stabbing the guard. On being en-
down the stairs and were later taken
they killed the guard.
Nabho said, “When we did it, we
dent to anyone,” said Mr. Kumar.
close to where they used to live.”
“ey live in villages. ey don’t
Furious brother threatened to stone sister to death
Lata claims her brother Mahesh beat her and tried to stone her
then, picked a huge piece of rock
everything happening. Mahesh was
untarily causing hurt), 307 (At-
and tried to smack my face. My
so furious that he didn’t want to lis-
tempt to murder), and 506 (Punish-
husband and sister-in-law rushed
ten to anybody but was firm to kill
ment for criminal intimidation) of
to my rescue,” said Lata.
his sister,” said Nagaraj, a neighbor.
Indian Penal Code,” said a crime
Lata got married to Kumar
As soon as the police arrived, the
Swami, 38, in November 2000. e
matter was resolved yet Mahesh
Saubhagyamma, 52, Lata’s mother
couple used to live in Chandra Lay-
had become difficult to trace. Lata
said, “I want my son to be freed
out. On September 8, 2013, Lata
was taken to the nearest hospital for
from all the charges. We will resolve
moved in the house next to her
a check-up and was discharged im-
the matter within the family.” Ma-
brother, Mahesh, a taxi-driver, with
mediately.
hesh was caught by the police on
her husband and children.
constable.
“For past one month, Lata had
October 30 and is under custody.
Prutha Bhosle
irked Mahesh started to beat them
“Everything was fine until Ma-
been going through medical proce-
e court hearing will begin in the
A man infuriated by the barking
with a bamboo stick. He further
hesh started to drink regularly. He
dures to cure thyroid. Mahesh has
first week of November.
of dogs around his house at-
went to throw down one of the dogs
was also facing some glitches in
been helping her by providing both
tempted to stone his elder sister to
from the terrace, said Kumar
work life. He started to assault me
financial and emotional assistance,”
death.
Swami, Lata’s husband.
every night he returned from
said Sub-Inspector Police of Chan-
work,” said Radha, Mahesh’s wife.
dra Layout, Sudarshan.
On October 24, Lata, 32, a resi-
“As I heard loud noises, I ran to
dent of Chandra Layout was at-
see what had happened. I saw my
She added, “We have been mar-
On October 25, 2013, Lata filed an
tacked by Mahesh, 30, following a
brother hitting the dogs very hard
ried for seven years now. Never
FIR against her brother in Chandra
heated argument with an acquain-
on the road so I rushed towards
have I seen Mahesh like this be-
Layout Police Station. “A case was
tance on the phone.
him to stop him. As I began to yell,
fore.”
booked under sections 504 (Inten-
At 9.00 pm, the dogs outside the
he got furious and started to sock
Neighbors called up the police
tional insult with intent to provoke
house started to howl for food. An
me in the middle of the road. He
aer hearing the chaos. “I saw
breach), 341 (Punishment for vol-
Radha, the wife of accused
e Weekly Observer
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Mangalyaan up but official website down
Events CULTURE
Team Observer e official Indian space agency website crashed as the Mangalyaan orbiter was launched. e Indian Space Research Organisation could not handle the sheer volume of traffic to its website on launch-day. Mangalyaan, a 44.4-metre tall Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C 25 rocket, is only the fourth satellite in the world sent to Mars for research purposes. India’s first mission to Mars was launched this aernoon from Sriharikota in Andra Pradesh. Satish Bhardwaj, a former scientist at the Indian Space Research Organization said, “It is a great event for the country, a technological leap. Today is only the beginning of a long journey. e spacecra will enter the Mars orbit on September 24, 2014 which is the bigger event. We are waiting for it. “We are hoping the entire expedition would be successful. ISRO has undertaken all the required measures. is event would motivate more youngsters to take space and technology as their careers. e mission is a great advancement in the field of space science for the country.” e Mars orbiter took off at 14:38 hours (IST) from Satish ISRO launches its first Mars orbiter, Mangalyaan at Sriharikota Dhawan Space Centre in Sri- States of America, Russia, and the cal advancement and scientific progress, there is a large section of European Space Agency. harikota. e launch was initially sched- our society that is unaware and India has joined an elite league of countries who have success- uled on October 28 2013 but was far removed from the entire buzz fully launched Mars orbiters for postponed due to technical delays about the “Mars Mission.” Pushpa, a vegetable vendor who and bad weather. scientific experiments. While the country is taking this lives wth her husband and two India is the fourth to launch a Mars mission aer the United opportunity to talk about techni- sons in Swarnalli, said, “I have not
seen anything about this on TV. Which channel is this coming on?” Sharanya, a shopkeeper at Forum Mall, Kormangala, said, “I saw about it in the news but I have no idea how it will have any effect on my life." Shankar, 50, who paints houses and lives with his four children, was clueless about ISRO or the launch. Akash, a 21-year-old student of the geography department in Bangalore University, did not know anything about it. “is is the first time I am hearing about any such endeavour,” he said. Rohan, another student of Bangalore University, Departmet of Physics, thinks of the event as a great achievement for the Indian scientific society. “If this attempt is successful, it will create a history for ISRO,” he said. e satellite will undertake a 300-day, 780 million km journey to orbit Mars. e historic event was attended by Ministers of State in Prime Minister’s Office, V Narayanaswamy, US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell and ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan, among other noted dignitories.
4
Nrityanidhi Dhwani brings out its annual festival, ‘Nazakat’ Enchanting Kathak to Popular Ghazal & umri. It promises to take one into the era of Umrao Jaan with its melodious Ghazal compositions. Where: Alliance Francaise de Bangalore When: Nov 09, 2013, 7.00 p.m. Contact: 99869-84878
THEATRE
Raa Raa is a warm hearted comedy tale of Indian families living abroad. Focusing on a newlywed couple and their family, Raa Raa is directed by Tahira Nath & Akarash Khurana. Where: Jagriti eatre, Whitefield When: Nov 10, 2013, 3 p.m. & 6.30 p.m. Contact: 08041248298
ARTS
Paint it Pink is an art show to commemorate the breast cancer month by HCG Foundation’s Swasti Contemporary Gallery. When: Up to Nov 30, 2013 Where: Swasti Contemporary Art
e official website of the Indian Space Research Organisation crashed as the historic rocket soared
Pushpa, a resident of Swarnalli
Gallery, Sampangiram Nagar Contact: 08040206000
Observer Team: Reporters– Soumya Basu, Tanisha Das & Rahul Sadhu Emergency Call Services- Suchitra Sharma News Editors– Prutha Bhosle & Sneha Mejari Chief Sub Editor– Sneha Bengani Picture Editor– Sushmita Sen Design Desk–Sreelakshmy Sivaram Sub Editors– Tulana Nayak,Shweta Nair & Raju Peethala Proof Readers-Suresh Kumar Editor– Sneha Ghosh Email- editor@iijnm.org An IIJNM Publication (For Private Circulation)