Mandya: Love affair led to the murder of 5 of a family?

Srirangapatna: More details behind the murder of five persons at their home in KRS are being revealed after the arrest of an accused by the police in the case.

It may be recalled that Laxmi (26), who was the wife of garment trader Gangaram, and four children were found brutally murdered at Bazaar Line in KR Sagar Village on Sunday, February 6.

The suspect also named Laxmi, is the cousin of the victim. She is currently in police custody for questioning, sources said.

The suspect and Gangaram had a love affair and had been separated. Locals suspect the spurned loved may have led to the killings.

According to police, the murders took place in the night when the suspect allegedly was in the house. According to a neighbor, the accused Laxmi was spotted entering the house at around 9.30 PM on the day prior to the incident.

Sources said that the suspect spent the whole night with the dead bodies and was seen leaving the house at around 4.30 AM the next morning on a scooter which was captured on nearby CCTV cameras.

Gangaram said his wife and the suspect Laxmi were cousins. They grew up together and were neighbors.

The suspect and Gangaram had a love affair. The village elders had intervened and separated them. Both had agreed to this and carried out a traditional ritual to accept each other as brother and sister.

Gangaram claimed that he had gone out on business work two days prior to the murder and at the time of the incident he was at a factory near Mulbagal in Kolar.

Gangaram said he was unaware that the suspect still loved him and said that he did not have any relationship with her after they broke up. “I don’t know why she did it. I was living happily with my family. I am not involved with her in any way. Let the police investigate the matter and find out why she killed my family,” he said.

Police are yet to confirm the details in the case.