Bengaluru police have arrested two men in connection with the murder of a 50-year-old woman in Cottonpet, uncovering a shocking case driven by financial desperation.
The suspects, Purandar (42) and Shivappa (35), both electricians from Karnataka’s Bidar district, were taken into custody earlier this week. According to investigators, Purandar is a relative of the victim, Latha, and had occasionally visited her home in the past.
Police say the two men were under severe financial stress after losing money in a fraudulent “rice-pulling” scheme, a scam that falsely promises returns from objects allegedly possessing special electromagnetic properties. Desperate for funds, they planned to target Latha, who they believed kept valuables at home.
On May 26, the pair arrived in Bengaluru by a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus and headed straight to Latha’s residence on P S Lane in Cottonpet. Trusting her relative, Latha welcomed them in and served them breakfast. Police believe she was strangled shortly afterward. No weapons were found at the scene, indicating the murder may have been committed using physical force and likely without prior planning.
The suspects allegedly fled with around 100 grams of gold and ₹1.5 lakh in cash. CCTV footage and mobile tower data helped police trace their movements. Both were apprehended in Bidar and brought to Bengaluru for further questioning.
Latha’s husband, Prakash S Mehtre (55), who owns a garment store in Upparpet, returned home around 2 pm that day and discovered her lifeless body near the kitchen. He immediately alerted the authorities.
The couple had been living in Bengaluru for over a decade and were originally from Bidar. They have two children — a daughter working in the private sector and a son currently studying in high school.
The investigation revealed no prior criminal history for either suspect, but police are now probing whether the rice-pulling scam involved more victims or accomplices. Authorities have urged the public to stay alert to financial frauds, especially those that promise unrealistic returns.
Further forensic examination is underway, and police have recovered part of the stolen gold. A case has been registered under charges of murder and robbery.
