Karnataka Police on Friday, 8 May arrested four persons in connection with the murder of a woman in Bengaluru, allegedly plotted by staging a road accident to enable a robbery at her residence. The case falls under the limits of the Mahalakshmi Layout police station. A fifth accused, identified as Manjunath, died of illness during the course of investigation.

Who Was Targeted and Who Was Arrested

The deceased has been identified as Vijayalaxmi, a resident of Mahalakshmi Layout, Bengaluru. The four arrested accused have been identified as Rakesh, Chetan, Pradeep, and Yohan. According to police, the conspiracy was allegedly hatched after accused Chetan — who had earlier taken a loan from Vijayalaxmi — became aware that she possessed a substantial amount of money and gold jewellery at her home.

How the Crime Was Executed

On 21 April, while Vijayalaxmi was walking near Kurubarahalli Pipeline Road, accused Rakesh allegedly rammed his motorcycle into her with full force. As per the alleged plan, the remaining accused, who were travelling in an autorickshaw, transported her to a hospital, ostensibly as rescuers. While she was being admitted, accused Manjunath allegedly stole the house key from her purse.

Manjunath then proceeded to Vijayalaxmi's residence to carry out the robbery. However, neighbours grew suspicious of his movements and questioned him. He reportedly told them he had come to collect an Aadhaar card before fleeing the spot. The house owner subsequently lodged a complaint with police about the attempted theft.

In a brazen move, accused Rakesh himself approached a traffic police station and filed a complaint claiming that an unidentified vehicle had struck the victim and that he had rescued her — presenting himself as a good samaritan. Vijayalaxmi, however, later succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.

How the Plot Unravelled

The breakthrough came when the Mahalakshmi Layout Police, while investigating the attempted theft complaint, examined CCTV footage from the area. The footage revealed the movements of the accused persons and established a link between the staged accident and the attempted robbery. Police tracked down and arrested the four accused, who allegedly confessed to committing the crime with the intention of robbing Vijayalaxmi's home of cash and jewellery.

Notably, the accused had themselves lodged a police complaint immediately after the incident, pretending to have saved the victim — a calculated attempt to deflect suspicion.

Cases Registered and Investigation Status

The Karnataka Police have registered cases of murder and robbery against the four arrested accused. Further investigation is currently under way. The death of accused Manjunath during the investigation adds a layer of complexity to the case, as police will need to establish the full extent of each individual's role through the confession statements and forensic evidence.

The case underscores the growing use of staged accidents as a cover for premeditated crimes, and investigators say CCTV surveillance proved decisive in cracking the conspiracy.