Mangalore court gives life imprisonment to accused in 2016 murder case

In a landmark judgment, the second additional district and sessions (special) court in Mangaluru, under Judge Preethi KP, sentenced 37-year-old Raju Kallavaddar alias Rajesh to life imprisonment for the brutal 2016 murder of an elderly couple in Charmadi village, Beltangady taluk.

Raju, hailing from BC Keri Oni in Gadag district, committed the heinous crime in January 2016. The victims, Varki KV (85) and Elikutti (80), lived alone in Kalerikal while their daughter resided abroad. Raju arrived at their home on January 10, pretending to need water. After gaining their trust, he attacked Varki with a wooden club and strangled him. Entering the house, he assaulted and killed Elikutti, looting gold ornaments, cash, and valuables worth ₹4.5 lakh.

The following morning, household staff discovered the crime. Raju, a laborer involved in dam construction in 2015, had a history of targeting vulnerable homes and was linked to over nine theft cases across Karnataka. He was arrested six days later in Udupi during the Paryaya festival, with stolen valuables hidden near his aunt’s house in Gadag.

Despite escaping custody in 2019 and later being re-arrested in Goa, Raju’s conviction was secured through forensic evidence, including fingerprints on a Vicks Vaporub container found in the looted cupboard.

The court imposed a 10-year rigorous imprisonment and ₹10,000 fine under Section 392 (robbery) and life imprisonment under Section 302 (murder), with both sentences served consecutively.

The case involved 38 witnesses, with prosecution led by former and current government prosecutors Shekhar Shetty and Jyothi Pramod Nayak.

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