Bengaluru Grocer Stabs Neighbor to Death During Gold Theft Attempt
In a shocking incident in Bengaluru's Nelamangala area, a debt-ridden grocery shop owner allegedly stabbed his 60-year-old neighbor to death on Wednesday after she caught him attempting to steal gold ornaments from her home. The brutal attack unfolded in front of the victim's 70-year-old husband, who was paralyzed from the neck down and confined to a wheelchair, rendering him completely helpless during the assault.
Grisly Crime Scene Discovered by Physiotherapist
The crime came to light around 6 PM when Purushottam, a physiotherapist who had been attending to the husband, Ranganath, for the past decade, entered the house and discovered the victim, R Shobha, lying lifeless. Shocked and panicked, he immediately contacted the police. According to authorities, the accused, identified as N Shivakumar, snatched Shobha's mangalsutra (nuptial gold chain) and two gold bangles before fleeing the scene after the fatal stabbing.
Accused Casually Inquired About Investigation Among Onlookers
When police arrived and began their investigation, Shivakumar was reportedly standing outside among curious onlookers. In a brazen move, he even approached officers, casually asking if they had any leads on the killer. However, police had already collected CCTV footage that showed a man on a gearless scooter arriving at Shobha's house in the afternoon and hurriedly riding away about 30 minutes later.
"On checking further, we identified him as Shivakumar, a local grocery shop owner living just a few houses away in the third lane," a police officer revealed.
Arrest and Recovery of Stolen Gold
Police soon reached Shivakumar's residence, where he had just finished dinner with his wife and minor daughter. "At first, he pleaded innocence, claiming he had never visited Shobha's house," the officer stated. "When we showed him the CCTV footage, he said he went only to ask if she needed any grocery items. But a deeper interrogation revealed the full truth."
Shivakumar was arrested that same night, and police successfully recovered the stolen mangalsutra and bangles, which he had hidden inside his home. His wife was reportedly left in shock, struggling to come to terms with the fact that the man she had known for over a decade had killed a neighbor.
Debt-Driven Plot to Steal Gold Ornaments
During interrogation, Shivakumar confessed to police that he planned to steal gold from Shobha's house to repay his substantial debts of Rs 8 lakh. "I knew the couple for the last 10 years and knew that Shobha had plenty of gold ornaments," he reportedly stated. "She came from a family of gold merchants and often wore different gold chains and bangles."
Shivakumar explained that he had observed Shobha's daily routine of taking her ailing husband for sunbath every afternoon. "At such times, Shobha did not lock the door. I noticed Shobha pushing the wheelchair outside the house and knowing they would not be back for at least one hour, I entered the house," he told investigators.
However, the couple returned earlier than expected, and Shobha caught him while he was searching through cupboards. "Fearing she would call police and get me arrested, I pulled a knife from the kitchen and stabbed her in the neck," Shivakumar confessed.
Background of the Victims
Ranganath and Shobha had been living in Petebeedi lane since 2014, and the couple did not have children. The tragic incident has left the neighborhood in shock, with residents struggling to comprehend how a familiar local shop owner could commit such a violent crime against long-time neighbors.
