CCTV clue cracks Kanakagiri murder, suspect held

Koppal: Police have solved the murder of a woman whose body was discovered on the outskirts of Kanakagiri, identifying the victim as 50-year-old Ratnamma from Karatagi and arresting a suspect using CCTV footage.

The accused, Shyamid, a resident of Kandukur village in Kushtagi taluk who had been living in Hulihyder village of Kanakagiri taluk, has been taken into custody by police.

Preliminary investigation indicated that Ratnamma and Shyamid were known to each other for several years. Police alleged that the accused took her to the third floor of an under-construction building, forced her to consume alcohol, murdered her and later set the body on fire to destroy evidence.

The breakthrough came after CCTV footage reportedly showed Ratnamma walking towards the building along with the accused. Police tracked down Shyamid using the footage and are continuing with his interrogation in custody.

Meanwhile, members of Ratnamma’s community staged a protest outside the Kanakagiri police station on Thursday, alleging the accused may not have acted alone and demanding a comprehensive and detailed investigation.

The arrest has also revived earlier allegations against Shyamid, who was previously accused of carrying out thefts while disguised in a burqa. He was reportedly caught by local residents during one incident, warned and let off.

A video of the earlier incident has resurfaced on social media, even as police continue to probe the murder case from multiple angles and perspectives.