Mangaluru couple arrested for honey-trapping priest after ‘puja’

News Network

January 21, 2022

Mangaluru, Jan 21: A couple living in a rented house at Padavinangadi in Mangaluru had called a priest cum astrologer from Chikkamagaluru for conducting a puja at home and extorted Rs 49 lakh from him. Unable to meet further demands of the duo, the victim filed a complaint to the police, said City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar.

The police have seized two golden rings worth Rs 37,000, Rs 31,000 cash and four mobile phones from the arrested. They were produced before the jurisdictional court, which remanded them in five days of police custody for further investigation, said the Commissioner.

The arrested are Bhavya M N (30), a native of Shanivarasanthe hobli and Kumar alias Raju (35), a native of Arakalagoodu in Hassan.

Explaining the incident, the Commissioner said that the arrested had asked the complainant priest from Chikkamagaluru district to conduct puja in the house. Later, Bhavya had clicked photos of an astrologer in a compromising position with her and started threatening him of posting the photos on social media.

Suspecting a few others were also trapped by the couple, the Commissioner said that the victim was receiving calls from different identities from different phone numbers including in the name of police sub inspector, women organisations, political leaders.

Of Rs 49 lakh extorted, Rs 15 lakh was collected in cash and the remaining was transferred to various bank accounts. The victim had raised money from friends and relatives to pay the duo.

Of the money collected, the duo had used for purchasing a vehicle, for availing a house on lease, for purchasing household products and travelling to different places, said the Commissioner. The duo had been engaged in extortion since August last year.

Following a complaint, a case was registered at Mangaluru Rural Police Station. Taking up the investigation, CCB police inspector Mahesh Prasad and team were successful in arresting them.

The City Police Commissioner urged the victims to come forward to file complaints in any police station coming under Mangaluru police Commissionerate jurisdiction or Office of the police commissioner or with the DCP.

Comments

We was poor

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Mangaluru: 28-year-old woman jumps to death from hospital building after losing newborn baby

News Network

November 11,2024

Mangaluru: In a deeply tragic turn of events, a 28-year-old woman named Ranjitha, who had recently given birth but tragically lost her newborn, ended her life by suicide on Monday. She reportedly leapt from the fourth-floor window of Lady Goschen Hospital’s luggage room.

Ranjitha, whose strength and resilience had carried her through a difficult pregnancy, was scheduled for discharge on Monday. Her journey to Lady Goschen Hospital began on October 24, when she was transferred from Karkala. She was a high-risk patient, battling both hypertension and diabetes. At the time of her admission, she was just 27 weeks pregnant.

Due to the complexities of her health, doctors made the difficult decision to perform an emergency C-section on October 30. She delivered a baby girl, premature and weighing only 960 grams. The newborn was immediately moved to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where doctors did all they could. Despite these efforts, the baby passed away on November 3.

Ranjitha’s sorrow was profound. She stayed under hospital care even after her initial recovery and was preparing to go home on November 9. She had even requested a couple more days at the hospital, seeking time perhaps to cope with her unimaginable grief.

On the day of her discharge, a discharge card ready and her family eagerly waiting to take her home, Ranjitha reportedly made her way to the luggage room in the early hours. There, standing on a cot placed for patients' family members, she climbed to a window and fell from the fourth floor. Despite the attempts of another visitor to intervene, tragedy was inevitable. She was rushed to Government Wenlock Hospital, where doctors confirmed the worst—she was no more.

Dr. Durgaparasad M R, the Medical Superintendent at Lady Goschen Hospital, shared his grief and spoke of the ongoing investigation. A post-mortem is to be conducted, and the local Tahsildar will complete the necessary inquest procedures. Ranjitha’s exact reasons for taking this step are yet to be confirmed, though the weight of her recent losses paints a sorrowful picture.

If you or anyone you know is struggling emotionally, please remember that help is available. Reach out to mental health experts who can provide support and guidance. The toll-free helpline number 9152987821 is available to assist anyone in distress.

Comments