Bengaluru: The assailant who fatally stabbed a 24-year-old woman had attempted to enter her paying guest (PG) accommodation three hours earlier, but was turned away by the security guard, top police sources said.
The suspect, in his late 20s, sneaked into the Bhargavi Staying Homes for Ladies in Koramangala’s Venkatreddy Layout around 11.15 pm on Tuesday.
The building's main door was half-open with no security guard present, allowing him to casually walk up to the third floor. This incident was captured on CCTV cameras.
The assailant knocked on the door of the room occupied by the victim, Kruti Kumari. He forced his way in and attacked her, but she fought back and tried to escape.
Viral CCTV footage of the attack shows Kruti running out of the room in an attempt to flee. However, the assailant is seen pinning her down and launching a relentless knife attack.
Police investigations revealed that the suspect fled Karnataka after switching off his phone.
Two special teams are conducting interstate operations to arrest the killer, while another team is in Bengaluru gathering possible leads.
During the investigation, officers learned that the suspect had visited the PG accommodation about three hours earlier, around 8.30 pm. He asked the security guard for Kruti, but the guard sent him away, saying she was not in her room.
Police are also gathering information about the suspect’s movements after he was sent away.
Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda said investigators were also looking into lapses by the PG management. He added that violations of the provisions under the Karnataka Public Safety Act would be checked, and any security lapses would be addressed.
Published 26 July 2024, 22:06 IST