Karnataka's Tumakuru murder mystery: Woman strangled, limbs cut professionally, dumped by dentist and aides; body parts found in 19 locations across state

BENGALURU: When police got a call on Aug 7 about a stray dog trotting around with a human arm dangling from its mouth, they knew they had a murder mystery on their hands. Officers rushed to Chimpuganahalli in Tumakuru district's Koratagere, about 110km from Bengaluru, and began a frantic search for dismembered remains.

Scouring a five-km radius, they recovered body parts scattered across 19 different spots. But the head was nowhere to be found.The cops had hit the first roadblock as the identity of the victim could not be established. There were neither CCTV cameras nor eyewitnesses. Forensic experts confirmed it was indeed the remains of a woman, and from the jewellery still on the limbs, they concluded it was not a murder for gain.

The investigation began with a list of missing women from Tumakuru district. Soon, the name of 42-year-old B Lakshmidevi alias Lakshmidevamma, a homemaker from Bellave, stood out as she had been reported missing by her carpenter-husband Basavaraj. She had last been seen leaving her daughter Tejasvi's home in Hanumantapura on Aug 3.

Two days later, the missing head was found in a remote spot in Koratagere and Basavaraj identified it as his wife's.

"It was clear that we were dealing with a cold-blooded and a pre-meditated killing, reportedly committed by someone known to the victim," a police officer said.A white SUV with different numbersSuperintendent of police Ashok KV formed multiple teams to crack the case. One team discovered that a white sports utility vehicle (SUV) had passed from Hanumantapura in Tumakuru on Aug 3 afternoon and travelled in the direction of Koratagere. A close scrutiny showed that the vehicle had different licence plates in front and back. "That was the first twist we found. Why would a person run the vehicle with two different number plates, that too fake ones," an officer said. This apart, the bonnet's unusual modification helped police link the vehicle to earlier footage. Tracing the original number, they found it belonged to Satish, an agriculturist from Urdigere village in Koratagere.

But why was Satish driving a vehicle with false plates through the area where body parts were later found?A silent phoneWhen police checked Satish's phone records, they found it had been switched off on the afternoon Lakshmidevamma went missing. Again, it was switched off the next day. Local informants recalled seeing the SUV in Satish's agricultural land on Aug 3 and 4. That was enough to summon him for questioning. But Satish was in Chikkamagaluru.

A team tailed him in a private vehicle, catching up with him and his associate Kiran at Horanadu temple.

Both claimed to be innocent, but were taken back to Tumakuru for interrogation.Dentist in the shadowsWhile another team dug into the SUV's ownership history, a startling detail emerged: the SUV had actually been purchased six months earlier by Dr Ramachandraiah S, a dentist from Tumakuru, but registered in Satish's name. Police learnt that Dr Ramachandraiah had actually married the victim's daughter Tejasvi.

On Sunday, officers took Dr Ramachandraiah to the police station for questioning. "To his surprise, we showed him Satish and Kiran. We made them sit face to face and rained questions on them. Satish, unable to hide facts, spilled the beans first. It did not take long for others to confess," an officer said.Police said Dr Ramachandraiah's anger had intensified as he suspected Lakshmidevamma of interfering in his marriage, even alleging that she was pressuring her daughter into flesh trade.

For the 47-year-old dentist, who was in his second marriage to a woman 20 years younger, this was intolerable. They had a three-year-old child, and he feared Lakshmidevamma would destroy his family. Six months before the murder, he began planning.

He purchased the white SUV under Satish's name to avoid detection. He roped in Satish and Kiran with promises of Rs 4 lakh each, paying them Rs 50,000 in advance.Body cut professionallyOn Aug 3, as Lakshmidevamma left Tejasvi's home, Ramachandraiah intercepted her, offering a ride back to Bellave. Inside the SUV, Satish and Kiran lay in wait. Once she was seated, they strangled her to death and drove to Satish's farmland in Kolala. They placed the body in the boot and slept. The next day, the grisly dismemberment began. Using sharp tools, they cut the body into pieces and scattered them across 19 isolated locations, hoping to erase any link between the victim and themselves, police said.

"The dentist had cut the body at joints, limbs and severed the head professionally," they added. The trio has been arrested.