K’taka: Woman hacked to death at KSRTC bus stand in Bantwal

Mangaluru, July 16 (IANS) A 24-year-old woman was brutally hacked to death in broad daylight at the KSRTC bus stand in Bantwal town of Mangaluru district on Thursday, allegedly by a distant relative who was stalking her after she rejected his advances.

The deceased has been identified as Lavanya, a resident of Kakyapadavu, who was employed at a private nursing home in Kalladka. Police have identified the accused as Chethan, who is currently absconding.

According to preliminary investigations, Chethan had allegedly been pursuing Lavanya owing to one-sided love. Investigators are also probing reports that the accused was associated with a Hindutva organisation.

Police said Lavanya had boarded a KSRTC bus to return to Kakyapadavu when the accused allegedly sat beside her.

During the journey, she reportedly called a relative and informed them that a young man was sitting next to her. The call, however, was disconnected shortly thereafter.

Eyewitnesses said that after alighting from the bus at the Bantwal KSRTC bus stand, Lavanya was chased by the accused, who allegedly pulled out a machete concealed in his bag and attacked her repeatedly.

Despite her attempts to flee, the assailant caught up with her and inflicted multiple blows, leaving her with grievous injuries. She collapsed at the scene and died before medical assistance could be provided. The accused fled immediately after the attack.

In a significant development, a bystander recorded portions of the attack on a mobile phone. The video has since circulated widely on social media and is expected to play an important role in the investigation.

The incident has sparked outrage across the region and renewed concerns over women’s safety in public places. It comes barely days after another violent attack in Manchi village in the same taluk, where a minor girl waiting at a bus stop was allegedly stabbed and seriously injured by a youth.

Senior officers from the Bantwal subdivision, including the town police inspector, rushed to the scene soon after the incident. Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Arun K also visited the spot and reviewed the investigation.

Police have constituted special teams to trace and apprehend the accused, who remains on the run. A case of murder has been registered, and investigators are examining all aspects of the incident, including the nature of the relationship between the victim and the accused.

Officials said efforts are underway to collect CCTV footage from the bus stand and surrounding areas to establish the sequence of events leading up to the murder.

The shocking killing in a crowded public place has sent shockwaves through communally sensitive Mangaluru, with residents demanding swift action against the accused and enhanced security measures at public transport hubs.

–IANS

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