How a bus ticket helped police unravel murder mystery
Bengaluru: A seemingly ordinary bus ticket became an unexpected key to unravelling a chilling murder mystery on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
It all began with the discovery of a young man’s body, brutally cut in two by a train, between Chikkabanavara and Nelamangala on Feb 19. Initially, the Bengaluru Rural police assumed it was a tragic accident. But something about the scene didn’t sit right. Suspicious injuries on the victim’s skull, neck, and hands suggested foul play, prompting police to dig deeper.
With no immediate way to identify the victim, the case seemed destined to stall. Then, as officers searched the deceased’s pockets, they found a small but crucial clue: a bus ticket from Hosur to Bengaluru. Realizing the importance of this single lead, a special investigative team led by police inspector G Kashinath under the supervision of Dr Soumyalatha SK sprang into action. The team headed to Hosur and meticulously examined hours of CCTV footage at the bustling bus station. After scouring through 70 recordings, they struck gold—footage from Feb 19 showed a woman boarding a Bengaluru-bound bus with the victim.
This image was then shared across Tamil Nadu police stations, leading to a breakthrough. The victim was identified as Loganathan R, 24, a granite polish worker and a native of Krishnagiri district. His family had reported him missing at Shoolagiri police station. From his family, police found out that Loganathan was in a relationship with Sathya alias Sathyavani, 27, a flower vendor in Hosur. She was already married to Varadaraj alias Varada, which Loganathan was not aware of.
After he learned about her marriage with Varadaraj, he had a fight with her. Both Sathya and Loganathan approached local police in Hosur. As she claimed that she was married to Varadaraj, police suggested that she return all the valuables she took from Loganathan. So she brought him to their rented house in Alur near Makali. Varadaraj was already waiting for him with a machete. He attacked him in an isolated place and later took the help of Srinivasa, a plumber, to dispose of the body. Sathya confessed to police that she was in a live-in relationship with Loganathan for four years but had a secret wedlock with Varadaraj a year ago and was managing both relationships. But as Loganathan insisted she live only with him, she informed Varadaraj to kill him so that they could lead their future life without any hurdles, police said.
It all began with the discovery of a young man’s body, brutally cut in two by a train, between Chikkabanavara and Nelamangala on Feb 19. Initially, the Bengaluru Rural police assumed it was a tragic accident. But something about the scene didn’t sit right. Suspicious injuries on the victim’s skull, neck, and hands suggested foul play, prompting police to dig deeper.
With no immediate way to identify the victim, the case seemed destined to stall. Then, as officers searched the deceased’s pockets, they found a small but crucial clue: a bus ticket from Hosur to Bengaluru. Realizing the importance of this single lead, a special investigative team led by police inspector G Kashinath under the supervision of Dr Soumyalatha SK sprang into action. The team headed to Hosur and meticulously examined hours of CCTV footage at the bustling bus station. After scouring through 70 recordings, they struck gold—footage from Feb 19 showed a woman boarding a Bengaluru-bound bus with the victim.
This image was then shared across Tamil Nadu police stations, leading to a breakthrough. The victim was identified as Loganathan R, 24, a granite polish worker and a native of Krishnagiri district. His family had reported him missing at Shoolagiri police station. From his family, police found out that Loganathan was in a relationship with Sathya alias Sathyavani, 27, a flower vendor in Hosur. She was already married to Varadaraj alias Varada, which Loganathan was not aware of.
After he learned about her marriage with Varadaraj, he had a fight with her. Both Sathya and Loganathan approached local police in Hosur. As she claimed that she was married to Varadaraj, police suggested that she return all the valuables she took from Loganathan. So she brought him to their rented house in Alur near Makali. Varadaraj was already waiting for him with a machete. He attacked him in an isolated place and later took the help of Srinivasa, a plumber, to dispose of the body. Sathya confessed to police that she was in a live-in relationship with Loganathan for four years but had a secret wedlock with Varadaraj a year ago and was managing both relationships. But as Loganathan insisted she live only with him, she informed Varadaraj to kill him so that they could lead their future life without any hurdles, police said.
