Bengaluru PG murder: Killer waited 3 hours for guard to leave

Bengaluru: The police have filed the charge sheet in the Bengaluru PG murder case, revealing fresh details of the sensational killing that sent shockwaves. 

The murder, caught on camera, was reported from Bhargavi Staying Homes For Ladies in Venkatareddy Layout, Koramangala, on July 23. The victim was Kriti Kumar (24), a Bihar native working at a private company in Bengaluru. 

The police arrested the suspect, Abhishek Ghosi (23) from his hometown of Begamganj in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district on July 26. He killed her in revenge for “interfering” in his relationship with his girlfriend, who was her roommate. 

According to the charge sheet filed on Saturday, Ghosi made “elaborate preparations” in the hours leading to the murder. He bought the murder weapon — a small knife — from a nearby shop between 7 pm and 8 pm for Rs 65. 

He headed to the PG around 8 pm but was turned away by security guards. He spent the next three hours loitering around the area, killing time and waiting for the guard to get distracted so he could sneak in. 

Around 11:15 pm, when guards took a break, Ghosi sneaked into the PG, sprinted to Kriti’s third-floor room and knocked on the door. 

When Kriti opened the door, he forced himself in but she ran out. He chased her down in the corridor and repeatedly stabbed her, slitting her throat, and fled. 

According to the police, Ghosi frequently fought with his girlfriend. She confided in Kriti, her friend. In July, Kriti helped her move to a different place without Ghosi’s knowledge. Ghosi became infuriated and tried in vain to know his girlfriend’s whereabouts. He then decided to kill Kriti in revenge. 

On the morning of July 23, Ghosi vacated his room in Ejipura and checked into a PG near where Kriti stayed. 

After the murder, Ghosi walked back to his new PG, changed his clothes, and booked an autorickshaw to Yeshwantpur railway station, discarding the knife midway. After reaching Yeshwantpur, he changed his mind and travelled to Majestic. He changed his mind again and went to the SMVT Bengaluru station and boarded a train to Betul in Madhya Pradesh.

From there, he took a bus to Begamganj, about 290 km away. 

By the time he reached his hometown, police had contacted his estranged girlfriend, got his personal details and sent a team to Begumganj. He was arrested as soon as he got off the bus. 

Abhishek Ghosi

The charge sheet, filed within 35 days of the arrest, runs into 1,205 pages and lists 85 witness testimonies. Thirteen witnesses recorded their statements before the magistrate under CrPc Section 164. Two witnesses identified Ghosi during witness identification parades, according to Sarah Fathima, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast). 

Among the witnesses are the shopkeeper who sold Ghosi the knife and the autorickshaw driver who drove him to the railway stations, according to police.