Slain sub-inspector’s mother faints, wife inconsolable

BENGALURU: Hundreds of people bid a tearful adieu to Sub-Inspector S Jagadish as he was laid to rest in Mallapura village in Magadi taluk of Ramanagar district on Saturday noon. Jagadish was brutally stabbed to death by two thieves in Nelamangala on Friday.

Jagadish’s mortal remains were brought to Mallapura late on Friday night. Around 1 pm, Jagadish was laid to rest with state honours. The villagers, his friends, batch-mates and fellow policemen paid their last respects. Politicians from all parties met the officer’s family members and expressed their condolences.

Jagadish’s mother, Saraswathi, fell unconscious when his body was being taken out for the last rites. She was treated by the doctors who were there at the spot. His wife, Ramya, was inconsolable, while his three-year-old daughter kept to herself.

Meanwhile, the villagers were strongly upset over Chief Minister nor the Home Minister keeping away from the funeral.

Jagadish’s batch-mate as a police constable, Ramesh, said, “He was my best friend in the department and we worked together in Soolibele police station. Even after getting selected as PSI, he never thought he was superior. Recently he called me and said he would apply for leave and meet me. But now tragedy has struck us.”

Initially, the police believed the murder was committed by Madhu and his father Krishnappa. However, it has been learnt that it was Madhu and Harish Babu who killed SI Jagadish. “Madhu’s father Krishnappa also had a criminal background. He died in a road accident four years ago. After his death, Babu started living with Thimmakka and Madhu. After that, he roped in Madhu for his criminal activities. Krishnappa’s family and Babu hailed from Hanumanthanagar in Bhadravathi and that’s how Babu became close to the family,” an official said.

“Thimmakka disposed off the valuables that were stolen by her husband earlier. After his death, she colluded with Babu and helped him in disposing the stolen property. She also arranged advocates to fight the cases registered against Babu and arranged for his bail. Babu is facing more than 45 cases registered in Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Bengaluru city and Bengaluru Rural police districts,” the official revealed.

Babu was reported arrested by Vidyaranyapura police in May and had spent 10 days in jail before Thimmakka arranged bail for him, the official added. “Madhu was first arrested along with his aides Santosh and Karthik by the Shivamogga Rural police in connection with a house theft case on September 1, 2014. After getting out on bail, he again took to crime.”

In February, Madhu along with his associate had attacked Tarikere police inspector Devaraj and constable Praveen with a dagger, when they tried to nab them following information that they were preparing to commit burglary in Lingarajapuram in Tarikere. Fortunately the cops escaped with minor injuries and Madhu had managed to escape. “The cops who encountered him that day were also summoned for inquiry and details have been gathered from them,” sources said.

Mr. Jagadish’s father Y Srinivasaiah, a retired ASI, demanded that the investigation should not be deviated and should go on right track. “Senior officers should order a departmental enquiry and find out whether there were any lapses on the part of seniors who directed my son to go and nab the accused. I don’t want to allege any lapse, but I want a thorough probe into the matter,” he said.

The accused duo, after stabbing SI Jagadish to death, reportedly escaped on constable Venkatesh Murthy’s bike. “Before chasing the accused, the SI asked Murthy to bring the bike and started chasing them. By the time Murthy went, Jagadish had been killed. The murderers accosted Murthy and tried to take his bike. When Murthy resisted, he was stabbed and they escaped on his bike,” police said.

The police probing the brutal murder of SI Jagadish have detained the family members and associates of the accused - Madhu, 24, and Harish Babu, 51. Madhu’s mother Thimmakka, brother Raghu, and associate Santosh alias Kunta have been taken into custody. Thimmakka and Raghu had gone to Chitradurga and then to Harihara after the murder. On a definite tip off, the Nelamangala police with the help of Harihara police, took the mother and son into custody while they were getting into a bus bound for Ukkadagatri. They were taken into custody on Saturday afternoon and are being brought to the city, while Santosh was detained near Peenya. Police sources said the trio was being grilled on the

whereabouts of Madhu and Harish Babu.