Elderly Woman Murdered for Gold in Nelamangala; Neighbour Held Within Hours

Bengaluru: In a shocking incident, a 69-year-old woman was allegedly strangled to death and robbed of her gold ornaments at her residence in Nelamangala town on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Police have arrested the accused, identified as Shivakumar, who was residing in the same neighbourhood.

The victim, Shobha (69), lived with her husband on Pete Beedi. The couple did not have children, and Shobha had been taking care of her husband, who has been bedridden for over a decade after suffering a brain stroke. The crime occurred when the elderly couple was alone at home.

According to police, the accused followed Shobha to her house around 4 pm after noticing the gold ornaments she was wearing. He allegedly entered the house on the pretext of asking for drinking water. Once inside, he attacked her and strangled her to death before fleeing with gold jewellery weighing more than 100 grams.

Nelamangala Town Police registered a case and launched an immediate investigation. CCTV footage from surrounding areas was scanned, leading to the identification and arrest of the accused within six hours of the crime.

Nelamangala Town CPI Bharat Gowda said, “The accused had been observing the victim and was aware that only the elderly couple stayed in the house. He took advantage of the situation and executed the crime with the intention of robbing her jewellery.”

He further stated, “During questioning, Shivakumar admitted that he was facing mounting debts. He planned the robbery to clear his financial liabilities. When the victim resisted his attempt, he strangled her.”

Police said the victim’s husband, who is wheelchair-bound, was present in the house but was unable to intervene due to his medical condition. The crime came to light when a physiotherapist, who regularly visits the house for treatment, arrived and noticed something amiss.

“The swift arrest was possible due to prompt action by our officers and technical evidence gathered from CCTV cameras. We are also verifying whether the accused has any prior criminal background,” CPI Bharat Gowda added.

The incident has caused panic among residents of the area, raising concerns about the safety of elderly citizens living alone.Police have recovered part of the stolen jewellery and further investigation is underway.