<![CDATA[Three youths in their 20s, including the grandson of an elderly couple who was murdered, were arrested on Wednesday after a dramatic showdown as the police launched a manhunt for them. Barely 12 hours after the murder came to light on Tuesday, the police narrowed down on Pramod (22), who is the grandson of the slain couple and lived next door to them, and his friends Praveen (20) and Hassain Pasha (20). The bodies of Saroja K. (60) and her husband Govindan (65), a retired employee of BEL, were found at their home in Ashwathnagar, Marathahalli. Describing the crime scene as violent with blood shed, the police told that the perpetrators had stabbed the couple multiple times in the kitchen. According to the police the reason for the murder of the elderly couple was money. The three accused already have cases of theft or assault against them — had conspired to loot the elderly couple. Gold jewellery of around 220 gm and Rs.50,000 in cash were stolen, which was eventually recovered from the houses of the accused. A few hours after the murder of the elderly couple came to light, the police narrowed in on their grandson, who had prior record of violation with the law. Pramod was picked up by the police on Wednesday morning in the neighbourhood. The police said he confessed to have planned the murder of his grandparents. Praveen, who also resides in the area, was arrested next even as another police team surrounded the house of the third accused, Pasha, at Yamlur. He reportedly attacked the police and attempted to flee. A sub-inspector of the Mahadevapura police station shot Pasha in the leg, while a police constable sustained injuries during the incident, the police told. A few weeks ago, Pramod had assaulted his cousin in Ulsoor. Both he and Pasha have cases of theft against them at the Mahadevapura police station. “The crime branch had information of the trio and immediately brought them for questioning,” said Police Commissioner Mr.T. Suneel Kumar. Around 3 p.m., on Sunday (November 26), Pramod and his friends entered the house through the back door. There was no sign of forced entry, and the police told that Saroja may have willingly let them into their home. Pasha bludgeoned her with a club, and overpowered Govindan when he came out. They tied the couple and stabbed them to death, the Police Commissioner told. After the murder, the three returned on Monday and Tuesday in the hope of setting the place on fire and destroying evidence. “They tried twice. They opened the gas cylinder and burnt clothes in the room, but failed,” the police officer told. The accumulating gas is what alerted neighbours. Around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, a passer-by informed a neighbour about a strong smell of gas in the area. “We found out that it was from Govindan’s house, but the door was locked. We called his daughter and she entered through the back door. She then started screaming after seeing her parents dead,” said Kartik, the neighbour. Govindan, he said, was popular in the community as he would take it upon himself to address civic issues in the area. Meanwhile, the police are also questioning Usha, Pramod’s mother, who works as a nurse and lives right next to her parent’s house. According to the police, she informed them that her parents had told her that they would be going to a temple in Kanchipuram for the next two days. She assumed they were away, the police told. The elderly couple have three children. After the death of her husband, Usha moved close to her parents. Their elder son passed away recently and the younger son is deaf and mute.]]>
