Is the city, once a pensioners’ paradise, getting unsafe for elderly women alone at home? While only a few days ago an 81-year-old woman was murdered in her home in Vijayanagar police limits, Wednesday morning led to the discovery of a 55-year-old in bed with her head smashed in, in her home in Rajajinagar police limits. In both cases the killers had struck while the women were alone at home. But the police are unwilling to see a pattern in the murders, claiming they don’t appear to be the work of professional gangs.
Middle-aged Lakshmi Devamma was asleep in her home on 3rd Main, Prakashnagar, when a grinding stone was dropped on her head, killing her instantly, according to the police. She was alone at the time as her son, Manjunath (25), a part -time milk vendor, was out supplying milk in Malleswaram. He had reportedly left home at around 5 am and returned at 8 am to be told by his neighbours that his mother was dead. Manjunath had left without locking the door of the house and neighbours who entered it later, discovered the woman’s body, the police said.
“Devamma appears to have been murdered while she was asleep. Her earrings are missing, but it is not clear whether she had removed them herself or if her killers took them,” said DCP north, H.S. Revanna. The woman had come to the city from Magadi only around six months ago to be with her son who was alone, leaving her husband, Rangaswamy, behind to take care of their fields. The couple had four sons and a daughter. Except for Manjunath, the rest were married and staying in various places. The third son, Gangaraju, however lived nearby. “A month ago Devamma underwent surgery and was advised rest. She and her son were staying in a leased house for the last two years,” said Rajesh, a relative.
The police is looking into all angles, including the quarrel Devamma is said to have had with one of her daughters-in-law some time ago. While it is also looking into the possibility of it being a murder for gain, it does not believe the woman was killed over a property, unlike in the case of 81-year-old Prema Naidu, who it suspects may have paid with her life for the plot costing nearly Rs 10 lakh that she owned in the city. A widow, Prema was living alone after her husband, a retired joint commissioner of the transport department, died. She had made a will leaving her property to her foster son, Satish and after him to the Ramakrishna Mutt, the police reveal.