Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jun 19: Sources said that the policemen investigating the mysterious death of Akshata from Henberu, student of a college in Byndoor, whose body was recovered from a hillock some distance away from Ottinene recently, have got some important clues relating to the case.

It is learnt that there are clear evidences which make the concerned to believe that the girl was raped and murdered. The girl had suffered fracture of the neck bone, and her face bore signs which looked like having been created by scratching with fingernails. These have made the police to conclude that the girl was murdered.

Locals said that the student died at a place which has a large growth of acacia bushes. It is believed that coolies engaged for highway construction work consume drugs like ganja at this spot often. As this is a large hillock with green surroundings, many a time local youngsters like to sit here in the evenings. A local youth said that he had seen a youngster walking by the pathway used by Akshata during the time the college hours were over, and later the same person had returned towards Byndoor through Yojana Nagar. As the death had occurred at this time, needle of suspicion points at this youth, whose identity is unknown. The policemen however, are not agreeable to divulge more details, fearing that it would hamper investigation work.

Primarily, the fact that the girl's body was found some distance away from the path she used to walk back and forth to the college, has given rise to doubts. However, this spot does not show symptoms of struggle or rape. If the body had been physically carried to the spot from some other place, involvement of more than one person can be suspected, as it is almost impossible for one person to carry the body over the hillock. The fact that the bushes in the region have not been disturbed, and the bag and umbrella were placed by the side of the body, have been giving confusing signals to the investigators. The veil of the student had been spun around her neck. The fact that the death is almost the replay of another college student, Ratna Kottary's death in the region about 11 months back, has made the matters murkier. People of surrounding village assert that this is a well-planned murder.

Family members of Akshata vehemently say that the girl had no health issues. They want mystery behind the death to be unearthed soon. Her body, which was brought from Manipal on Thursday evening, was kept at Byndoor PU college to enable people to have her last glimpse, before handing it to the family. Byndoor special tahsildar, Kiran Gowrayya, handed over financial assistance on behalf of the government for the cremation. District superintendent of police, Annamalai, local deputy superintendent of police, Manjunath Shetty, police circle inspectors of Brahmavar, Kundapur and Byndoor, and Byndoor station house officer, Santosh Kaikini, were present.

Holiday was declared for a day for the college on Thursday, as students were protesting against the incident. A large number of organizations including voluntary ones have condemned this incident and demanded proper investigation.

Western range inspector general of police, Amrit Paul, visited the spot and discussed the issue with local policemen. He told the media that three police teams have been formed to investigate the case. He added that the investigators will be able to get further leads once postmortem report is received.

District in-charge minister, Vinay Kumar Sorake, and MLC, Kota Srinivas Poojary, visited the spot and the family's home to appraise themselves of the related developments and console the grieving family.