How a feast helped cops solve murder mystery

Auto driver, a habitual offender, who killed a 72-year-old home-alone woman, hosted feast to overcome his guilt

- SUBHASH CHANDRA N S @ Siddapur (Uttara Kannada)

A feast organised by a person to celebrate Karthik Masa (auspicious month as per Hindu Calendar) has helped solve a murder mystery in Siddapura.

It has come to light that the host of the feast, Abhijit Madiwal, himself is the accused in the murder of an elderly woman who worked as a pygmy collector and decamped with over Rs 20,000 cash and jewellery.

On December 25, 2024, the Siddapura police found a woman murdered in her house, which was locked from inside.

The victim is 72-year-old Geetha Hundekar, who was living alone. Her husband died many years ago and her two daughters are married and live in distant places.

According to the police, the accused entered the house by removing the roof tiles of the bathroom, murdered her and decamped with the money which Geetha had collected the previous day.