Grandson killed elderly couple for money

BENGALURU: The elderly couple, whose decomposed bodies were recovered on Tuesday night from their residence in east Bengaluru, was killed by their grandson who wanted to buy a sports bike from the money and jewellery he stole from them.
Pramod Venkatesh, 21, of Ashwathnagar, and his two associates V Praveen Kumar alias Chotu, 20, of Marathahalli and Hussain Basha alias Nisar, 20, of Ulsoor, were arrested by Whitefield division police on Wednesday.
The bodies of K Govindan, 68, a former BEL employee, and his wife, Sarojamma G, 65, were found after a neighbour who smelt LPG gas, entered their Ashwathnagar house around 9 pm on Tuesday. Though police initially said the couple had been stabbed at least two days earlier, autopsy confirmed the two were killed on Sunday. Govindan was smothered to death, while Sarojamma was hit on the head.
A team led by Whitefield DCP Abdul Ahed picked up Pramod and Praveen from their hideouts near Ulsoor earlier in the morning.
Hussain was shot at and injured near Hebbal Kempapura, after he attacked two police constables who had gone to arrest him. He was shifted to a private hospital and is stable.
All the three have criminal antecedents and had been arrested for various offences, including robbery, mugging and vehicle thefts.
Police commissioner T Suneel Kumar said they suspected Pramod right from the beginning due to his criminal background. “The intact door indicated that someone known to the family had done it. Questioning of neighbours revealed that Pramod and his two friends were seen near the house on Sunday morning,” he added.
Police said Pramod scrupulously avoided his family and police from Tuesday night. “Pramod and Praveen were seen near the house while cops were shifting the bodies. But they disappeared later and this only strengthened our suspicion,” they said. Pramod and his widowed mother stayed next to his maternal grandparents’ house. The Govindans owned both the properties.
Once Pramod and his two friends were in their net, police subjected them to intense questioning. They confessed to have killed the couple on Sunday afternoon as Pramod wanted to buy a bike and he knew the couple had money and jewellery at home.
Gas-leak plan falls flat
“Pramod and Hussain entered the house from the back door, while Praveen kept a watch outside the main door. First, Hussain grabbed the hands of Govindan, who was fast asleep on the sofa and using a pillow, Pramod smothered him. Hearing the commotion, Sarojamma, who was sleeping in the bedroom, came out. Pramod hit on her head with a wooden log. The trio fled the scene with Rs 50,000 and 300g of gold ornaments. We recovered the jewellery. Pramod had spent some amount of cash,” police said. After killing the couple, they opened the knob of the gas cylinder in the house. They thought the LPG gas leak would spark a blaze and make it look like they died in a fire.
The trio returned twice on Monday and Tuesday to check if the gas had spread and if they could set the house on fire. But neighbours’ movement stopped them from carrying out their design. Incidentally, the rancid smell of the gas was what drew the attention of neighbours, who went into the house and found their bodies.
Govindan and Sarojamma had three children. Usha Venkatesh, Pramod’s mother, was their eldest child and only daughter. Their elder son died of illness, while the younger son, who is speech and hearing impaired, lives in another part of city.
Bike buffs all
Police said Pramod Venkatesh, a college dropout, was passionate about motorcycles and it had brought him closer to the two other accused and led them into the world of crime. One of associate of Pramod, V Praveen Kumar alias Chotu, specialized in lifting bikes. Police had recovered eight bikes from Praveen recently, while Pramod was arrested for his alleged role in house break-ins. Police are yet to get details of Hussain’s previous cases.