Former gram panchayat president arrested for murder

The Huliyurudurga police have arrested a former gram panchayat president for allegedly murdering an elderly woman and robbing her of gold jewellery. The police have recovered the ornaments worth about ₹11 lakh from his possession.

According to the police, the case was registered on March 11 based on a complaint filed by Varadaraju, 43, a resident of R.R. Nagar, Bengaluru.

In his complaint, Varadaraju stated that an unidentified person murdered his mother Nagamma at her house and fled with her gold chain, four bangles and a pair of gold earrings. Based on the complaint, a case was registered at the Huliyurdurga Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

A special team traced and arrested the accused within 24 hours. The accused has been identified as Mutturaj, 51, former Gram Panchayat president from Boregowdanakoppalu village in Huliyurdurga Hobli of Kunigal taluk in Tumakuru district.

During the investigation, the police recovered a mobile phone used in the crime, a motorcycle, ₹15,000 in cash and gold jewellery weighing 79 gm, including a gold chain, four bangles, and a pair of earrings.

The police said the accused had borrowed money from Nagamma but had not repaid it. As she was repeatedly asking him to return the money, he allegedly planned the murder and robbery. On the night of March 9, between 7.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m., he went to her house, murdered her and escaped with the gold ornaments, the police said.