Cottonpet police have solved the murder and robbery of Latha, a homemaker residing in west Bengaluru, by arresting her relative Purandar (42) and his friend Shivappa (35), both electricians from Bidar. According to investigators, the duo committed the crime after losing money in a fraudulent rice-pulling scam, prompting them to seek quick cash.
On May 26, the suspects arrived in Bengaluru by a KSRTC bus and went straight to Latha’s house on PS Lane. Since Purandar occasionally visited her in the past, Latha welcomed them in and served them breakfast. However, things took a deadly turn. Police believe the suspects strangled Latha, as no murder weapon was found at the scene, suggesting it was not a planned act of violence.
After committing the murder, the accused fled with approximately 100 grams of gold and ₹1.5 lakh in cash. Latha’s body was later discovered near the kitchen by her husband, Prakash S Mehtre, who returned from work around 2 p.m. Mehtre, 55, runs an apparel store in Upparpet. The couple had lived in the city for over 10 years with their daughter, who works in the private sector, and a son in school.
Authorities are now focused on reconstructing the crime scene to determine the sequence of events that led to the murder. Officers say a deeper understanding is required to uncover what exactly unfolded between Latha and the suspects inside the house prior to the fatal assault.
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