Mysuru: In a tragic incident a 45-year-old school teacher was shot dead by a 65-year-old man, who then killed himself with the same weapon in Ponnampet police station limits in Kodagu on Friday.
The incident took place between 8 am and 8.30 am near police outpost at Baalele in Virajpet taluk.
The deceased teacher has been identified as Aadengada Asha Kaveramma, while Jagadeesh Maachimaada is the accused.
Asha was working as assistant Head Mistress at Lions Nursery and Primary School, Gonikoppal, and is survived by two daughters who live in Bengaluru. Jagadeesh was a resident of Ponnampet.
According to Kodagu SP Dr Suman D. Pennekar, the shooting occurred when Asha was waiting for bus. The accused was hiding in a plantation and fired bullets from a distance of over 15 feet. While one bullet pierced her head, another her shoulder. The accused then fired at himself.
Dinesh a youth who came to her rescue also suffered bullet injury in his hand and was hospitalised, she said.
Jagadeesh had used a SBBL-Single barrel weapon, which was a jamma weapon, inherited by land holding communities of Coorg, and registered with Srimangala police station.
The SP said the exact reason for the crime is yet to be ascertained. As per preliminary investigation Asha and Jagadish knew each other for past ten years and were not on good terms.
Two years ago Asha has lodged a police complaint against Jagadeesh alleging that he had attempted to rape her maid. Later she had lodged another complaint alleging that Jagadeesh had morphed her photograph and was threatening to circulate them. Chargesheets have been filed in both cases and trials are on, the SP said.
According to school sources, Asha wanted to resign and settle with her children in Bengaluru, but they had requested her to continue for some more time as they were happy with her work.
Both the bodies were handed over to relatives after autopsy at Gonikoppal government hospital. Ponnampet police have registered a case and begun investigation.
