Bangalore: Twenty six days ago, on May 10, when a 72-year-old home-alone woman was murdered at Binnypet here, the police had suspected that it was yet another routine case of murder for gain.
However, it has now transpired that, Ramaratnamma, the elderly woman, was murdered by her granddaughter who is just 19.
Harshitha, the suspect, is currently employed with a private firm in the city. She started working after she failed to clear the SSLC exams. Harshitha was not happy with her earnings, which were not enough for her to lead a lavish life.
But for this, the J J Nagar police would not have suspected her role in the murder. Soon after the murder on May 10, the police, who were keeping a watch on the family members, suddenly noticed a dramatic change in Harshitha’s lifestyle.
She spent over Rs 50,000 on just one party which she threw for her friends at Mantri Square in Malleswaram. Subsequently, the police started gathering more information about her. The police said they came across a suspicious number in her call log, which gave them further leads.
Thereafter, they took her into custody on June 2 and questioned her. During the interrogation, she broke down and confessed to killing her grandmother, the police said.Shaken by the turn of events, her parents on Thursday attempted suicide at a lodge in Shimoga but were rescued in time.
During the interrogation, Harshitha described the murder. On May 10, she returned from office around 3 pm, when she knew that her father Shekhar (45), a sales executive, mother Lakshmi (38), a domestic help, and sister Varshitha (21) would still be at work.
Her grandmother, who had come from Mysore on May 8, was busy washing clothes. The old woman had in her possession Rs 14 lakh cash and ornaments.
Harshitha,who was aware of the valuables, demanded money and ornaments. When her grandmother refused, the police said, she hit the elderly woman with a rolling pin before strangulating her with wet clothes. Ramaratnamma collapsed.
Harshitha lost no time in snatching gold chains and bangles. Later, she pledged the ornaments with a private finance firm and collected Rs 1.29 lakh to start a new lifestyle, the police said.
The case took a different turn with the suicide attempt of Shekhar, Lakshmi and Varshitha. The trio had checked into a lodge, Atithi Comforts, on NT Road near the Shimoga bus stand and consumed poison used to kill bed bugs early Thursday morning. Timely hospitalisation saved them.
