The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Mystery shrouds murder

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 07, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Mystery shrouds murder

Staff Reporter

Police are looking for evidence of motive other than gain

HYDERABAD: A strand of hair in the victim's hands, abandoned trousers and shirt apparently belonging to the killer, 18 knife injuries on the victim's body and no signs of forcible entry. These pieces of evidence only deepened the mystery surrounding the murder of Pushpa Bai, wife of Jagadamba jewellery shop owner Prahlad Agarwal, on Wednesday evening.

Though the hair found in the victim's hand was long, suggesting they belonged to a woman, police said nothing could be said at "this preliminary stage of investigation" on Thursday.

What baffled the police was the killer leaving his clothes at the scene of offence. Was it fear of being recognised because of the bloodstains on the shirt and trousers or was there any other specific reason that forced the murderer to abandon the clothes was the question that stared at the police. The 18 knife injuries on her body drove some investigators to focus the probe on strong motive behind the murder other than gain. The victim's family members had stated that jewellery worth Rs. 1.5 lakh was stolen from the house.

There is evidence suggesting that the woman was alive till 5.30 p.m. since she spoke to her daughter for 30 minutes over phone from 5 p.m.

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Andhra Pradesh