V V Puram quakes in fear

After the gory murder of Komalamma, residents say the area's no longer safe and even the presence of police doesn't help

After the gory murder of Komalamma, residents say the area's no longer safe and even the presence of police doesn't help

Residents of V V Puram, once considered a safe locality, are having second thoughts after the murder of home-alone Komalamma (55).

Safety was what brought many residents to this area but today, they don'tu00a0 feel safe anymore. They prefer to stay indoors after dark. Even parking their vehicles outside is dangerous.

The mood here is somber with police patrolling the streets on bikes and jeeps. Not that that helps.

Scene of crime: The home of the murdered Komalamma in VV Puram

Robbers' paradise

According to Vishnu, "This area used to be safe once upon a time but ever since brokers started selling cars and bikes, it has become a robbers' paradise. Even the presence of police does not deter crime like stealing petrol at night or music systems from the car."

Referring to the recent murder, Pallavi, a homemaker, says: They did not just kill Komalamma; they also robed her mangalsutra and chains, rings and bangles worth a lot of money."

She says that not so long ago, an elderly woman's chain was snatched while she was on her morning walk.
And that has not been the only chain-snatching incident.

Aftab said three chain-snatching events took place only a week ago and "even Alok Kumar, joint commissioner of police (crime) did not know about it".

Even students are not spared. According to homemaker Shalini, "Thieves on bikes snatch mobile phones from college students."

The theories
Every time there's a murder in the city, Chinese whispers are at play.Here's what MiD DAY intercepted:

Homemaker Shalini thinks Komalamma's death was due to revenge.

She says that Venkatesh, the victim's husband, would sell seconds liquor at home and an angry customer who had been bad-mouthed took revenge by murdering his wife.

Another homemaker, Pallavi, said, "This job could have only be done by a relative or somebody the victim knew well.

"The victim used to keep open her door every evening from 5.30 to 6.30 to do puja and maybe the assailant(s) would have kept track of this."