Police track killers using fine detective skills

Cops solve murder using partial registration number of getaway vehicle, which assailants escaped in after beating a man to death in a bar brawl last month

Police track killers using fine detective skills

Cops solve murder using partial registration number of getaway vehicle, which assailants escaped in after beating a man to death in a bar brawl last month

In a display of incredible detective work, the Banasawadi police solved a murder case with as little as a partial registration number of an autorickshaw, which was used as a getaway vehicle after the crime was committed.

Match, mismatch: The cops approached the RTO and a list of over
100 autorickshaws, which matched the last four numbers were drawn
up for investigation. Representation pic

The cops nabbed a gang of four, who had killed Kumar (27), during a drunken brawl on May 7, after the victim attempted to pacify the gang who was assaulting his brother and a friend over a trivial matter at a local bar.
Kumar was assaulted with liquor bottles, including kicks and punches and collapsed consequently. While the gang escaped in an autorickshaw, onlookers immediately rushed the victim to a hospital where he declared brought dead. A witness attempted to jot down the registration number, but could only manage to get the last four numbers.

Brilliant deduction
The Banasawadi police led by Inspector N B Sakri rushed to the crime scene and began investigations. The cops approached the RTO and a list of over 100 autorickshaws, which matched the last four numbers were drawn up for investigation.

The cops provided a brief description of the accused based on eyewitness accounts and used it to single out suspects from the list of photographs provided by the RTO. The police then zeroed in on T Praveen and Ajai Christopher, who matched the description of the suspects driving an autorickshaw bearing registration number KA03-A-8007, and after a detailed enquiry, the duo confessed to the crime.

Misguided anger
The duo said that they, including K Karthik and Sudheer (17) had gathered at a bar for a drinking session and were leaving the joint in an inebriated condition. In the process, they bumped into a table where Nagraj and Manjunath were drinking and a verbal duel ensued. The argument took an ugly turn and the four men assaulted the other two with beer bottles and plates.

Nagraj's brother Kumar who was passing by, heard the commotion and rushed to his brother's aid, but the gang turned their wrath on him, which resulted in his death. N B Sakri said "One of the arrested is a minor and we are dealing with the legal issues regarding this. We are also checking whether the gang has any criminal history."