Date:23/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/23/stories/2005122322070300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Woman found murdered

Staff Reporter

She was a native of Kerala and was living alone in the house

BANGALORE: A self-employed woman, a native of Kerala, was found murdered under suspicious circumstances at her house on the outskirts of the city in Hennur police station limits on Thursday.

The incident, suspected to have taken place on Tuesday night, was discovered on Thursday morning.

The police gave the victim's name as M. Lalitha (36).

Though Lalitha was married, she was staying alone at a rented house in Byarathi village, the police said.

Lalitha was selling tea powder and undertook tailoring work for livelihood, they said.

The milk sachet delivery boy who came to Lalitha's house around 9 a.m. on Thursday found the milk sachet supplied on Wednesday and the newspapers lying uncollected in front of the house.

As the main door was partly open, he informed her neighbours, the police said.

Strangled?

The neighbours, who found Lalitha's body in the bedroom, immediately alerted the Hennur police.

The police suspect that Lalitha could have been strangled on Tuesday night.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Bijay Kumar Singh told The Hindu that circumstantial evidence suggested that someone known to Lalitha had killed her.

She is supposed to have had tea with the person.

Two cups in which tea had been served, a liquor bottle and cigarette stubs were found in the room.

Ornaments intact

The gold ornaments Lalitha was wearing and other valuables in the house were intact, Mr. Singh said.

Referring to reports that the culprit had raped her, Mr. Singh said the circumstances did not indicate it.

The Hennur police have registered a case.