Karnataka police has said that Prathima, a deputy director of the Mines and Geology Department, was killed by her former driver whom she sacked for allegedly "leaking" crucial information and "movement of officials". Prathima was found murdered at her residence on Sunday. She was strangled to death and her throat was slit. The 45-year-old official was working as the deputy director in Bengaluru Rural district.
Jurisdictional Subramanyapura police aunched a probe quickly into the issue and made three arrests based on the suspicion. One the them was Prathima's former driver Kiran, the agency said. According to police, Kiran allegedly turned out to be the killer, IANS added. Now, police are making preparations to produce him before the court and take him into custody. According to the report, the accused worked on a contract basis and Prathima sacked him from the job last week.
Police said the preliminary details revealed that Kiran had disappeared and his phone was switched off. The officials gathered information and nabbed him while he was moving towards Chamarajanagar district.
The report cited police as saying that Kiram was allegedly leaking critical information and movements of the officials. Prathima had questioned him but he did not stop and continued to leak information. Later, Prathima sacked him, police stated.
According to the police, the accused knew that Prathima lived alone at her flat. On Saturday night, he sneaked her flat and strangled her to death and later slit her throat.
Later in the night, Prathima’s brother Pratheesh called her, but she did not answer. He again rang her in the morning but the call was not received again. According to the report, Pratheesh then came to the flat and when she did not answer the bell, he tried to peep through the window. He saw her body inside the house.
Further investigation is on in the matter.