Bengaluru: Kidnap plan goes awry, gagged victim dies

BENGALURU: A 52-year-old polio-affected man was murdered by a gang of four men, which had allegedly hatched a plot to kidnap him and demand ransom from his family members. Police arrested the main accused within 30 minutes after the murder was reported.

The victim has been identified as Raju of Andhra Pradesh, while the accused has been identified as Madhu. The incident took place in the second floor of a building owned by Raju in Ramaiah Layout in Banasawadi. The other three accused are said to be in Andhra Pradesh.

According to the police, Raju was living in the city for the last 15 years and was working at a garment factory. Later, he quit the job and had started real estate business. He soon prospered and bought a four-storey building. He had divorced his wife and was staying in the ground floor of the house along with his mother. He came in contact with Madhu, a real estate agent and resident of Kacharakanahalli some years ago.

“As Madhu knew Raju was prosperous, he got his sister-in-law Madhavi married to him  six months ago. His plan was to get Raju’s property by getting him married to Madhavi.
Recently, Raju’s mother underwent an eye operation. A week ago, Madhavi went  to her parents’ house at Madanapalli in Andhra Pradesh. As there was no one at home to look after his mother, Raju had asked his sister Shyamala, who stays in Bharathinagar, to come home and she was taking care of her mother,” the police said.

Meanwhile, Raju had asked Madhu to search for tenants as the houses on second and third floors were vacant. “Madhu, who planned to kidnap Raju and demand ransom, took advantage of the situation. Around 7.30 pm on Thursday, he brought three of his associates to Raju’s house and asked him to show the vacant house on the second floor, claiming his friends were searching for a house for rent. Raju took them to the second floor, where the four locked the door from inside and tied Raju’s hands and legs. They also gagged him and were ready to kidnap him,” the police said.

Madhu then came down and tried to engage Raju’s mother and sister in a conversation to divert their attention. He allegedly sent a text message to his associates to shift Raju to the car and take him away. However, Raju was choked to death as he was gagged.

“When Raju did not come down even after a long time, Shyamala enquired Madhu about him. But he lied to her that Raju may be busy discussing rent, advance and other things with the tenants. After a while, Shyamala went to the second floor to check on Raju. She then found the trio rushing out, they were also wearing  gloves. When she questioned them, they said they had come to clean the house and left abruptly. But when she went inside, she was shocked to find her brother dead. Hearing her scream, even Madhu escaped from the house,” the police said.
The police arrested Madhu near K R Puram around 9 pm.