Sacked driver strangled, slit throat of Bengaluru geologist

The former driver of a senior geologist who was found murdered at her residence in Bengaluru was arrested on Monday. He admitted during police interrogation that he killed her as he was upset that she had dismissed him from his job a few days ago.

Kiran had been working as a driver for Prathima K S, who was serving in the department of mines and geology, for the past four years, but he was recently replaced.

Under interrogation, the 32-year-old driver said he was dismissed from the job about a week ago. He used to often get scolded by her for driving ”carelessly”.

Later, he apologised and requested the 45-year-old geologist to take him back but when she refused to do so, he killed her, the police said.

The accused then fled to Male Mahadeshwara hills in Chamarajanagar district in south Karnataka from where he was traced and detained, a senior police officer said.

According to the police, the victim was strangled and her throat slit at her residence at Doddakallasandra under Subramanyapura police station limits on Saturday after she returned home at around 8 pm.

As Prathima, who was living alone, did not respond to phone calls on Saturday night and Sunday morning, her elder brother came to her house to check on her. He found her lying dead and informed the police.

”The front door of her house was open and her body was lying on the floor," the officer said.

"We got some clues which indicated the involvement her former driver Kiran in the murder. When we tried contacting Kiran, his phone was switched off and an enquiry revealed that he was sacked from the job about a week or so ago.

"Our team, however, managed to trace him from Male Mahadeshwara hills in Chamarajanagar district. He was detained and brought to Bengaluru on Monday morning,” the officer added.

During questioning, Kiran told the police that he was removed from the job about a week ago and that his employer often scolded him for his professional mistakes. Recently, she was given a new vehicle from the department and the vehicle met with a minor accident following which the officer took the driver to task, he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Rahul Kumar Shahapurwad said, ’During questioning, he confessed to have murdered the woman. He said he was removed from the job about a week ago and he was upset.

"On Saturday night, after she returned from work, she opened the house door and went inside. The door was left open, and soon after she arrived home, the accused also entered the house behind her and killed her. He first strangled her and later slit her throat with a kitchen knife which is yet to be recovered," he added.

"Interrogation revealed that suddenly when the driver was removed from the job, it caused a lot of distress to him personally and professionally," he said.