Karnataka: Two specially-abled arrested for killing of peer in Mysuru

Police said the victim was lured on Feb 12 to Ammattur village, where the accused allegedly took him to a forested area under the pretext of imbibing together.

Police discovered the body of a 32-year-old speech and hearing-impaired man on Wednesday in Mysuru district after a months-long investigation into a rare case involving both the victim and the accused being specially-abled, with investigation being relied on sign language experts, police said on Thursday.

Two specially-abled arrested for killing of peer in Mysuru. (PTI)

Police said the victim, Swami, a resident of Devarammanahalli Palya in Nanjangud taluk, was living with his wife, Savita, who is also speech and hearing impaired, along with their three-year-old daughter. The couple had married four years ago.

According to investigators, the prime accused, Srinivas, a 37-year-old man from Kunigal in Tumakuru district, was also speech and hearing-impaired and had become acquainted with the couple. Over time, Srinivas acquired a fondness for Swami’s wife and allegedly conspired with two other specially-abled associates to kill the man.

Superintendent of police Mallikarjun Baladandi said the case began as a missing person complaint. “We initially registered a missing case based on the complaint. During investigation, it became clear that it was a case of murder. So far, we have arrested two accused and have formed teams to nab the third suspect,” he said.

Police said the victim was lured on February 12 to Ammattur village in Kunigal taluk, where the accused allegedly took him to a forested area under the pretext of imbibing together. During the gathering, they are believed to have attacked and killed him.

Investigators said the accused then attempted to destroy evidence by tying stones to the body and throwing it into a well.

The victim’s wife, unaware of the crime, initially believed he had gone to work. When he failed to return, she filed a missing complaint on March 4.

Baladandi said the investigation gathered momentum after officers noticed inconsistencies in the prime suspect’s behaviour during video calls with the victim’s wife, conducted through sign language.

Suspicion deepened when police learned that the suspect handed the victim’s mobile phone to the wife the day after Swami’s disappearance.

A major hurdle for investigators was communication, as all three suspects were speech and hearing-impaired. Police sought assistance from experts at the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) in Mysuru to conduct interrogations.

With the help of interpreters, police questioned the accused, leading to a confession. “The accused confessed that they had disposed of the body in a well. Based on their information, we conducted a search at the spot, recovered the body, and initiated further legal procedures. A motorbike and mobile phone used in the crime have also been seized,” Baladandi said.

The decomposed body was recovered on Wednesday, nearly two months after the killing. Authorities said the identity was confirmed by the victim’s mother based on the clothes found on the body.

Police have arrested the prime accused and another man, identified as Gangadhar, while efforts are ongoing to trace the third suspect. Baladandi said the case highlighted the complexities of investigating crimes within the specially-abled community.

“This case highlights the complexity of investigation involving specially-abled individuals. With the support of AIISH experts, we effectively communicated and uncovered the truth behind the crime,” Baladandi said.