Kalaburagi, 25 Nov

Kalaburagi police have arrested two accused — Shivraj, 21, and a juvenile — for the murder of 70-year-old Radha Bai Annappa Talakeri at the Dhammoor Rehabilitation Centre in Kamalapur taluk. Police said the two, her grandchildren, killed her over a long-running property dispute.

Radha Bai was found dead on 19 November with strangulation marks and head injuries. Suspecting foul play, police launched a wide search. During the probe, the accused pretended ignorance and even accompanied officers to divert suspicion, but later confessed after being taken into custody.

Based on investigations and information from reliable sources the police found that the deceased lived with her husband and son, while her daughter-in-law and grandchildren lived next door.

Police said frequent quarrels had erupted between Radha Bai, her daughter-in-law and grandchildren over property and domestic responsibilities. Radha Bai owned about 5 acres of land. The confrontation escalated after she told Shivraj and his mother they would not receive any share of her land. Enraged, Shivraj and his sibling strangled her with a towel. At the time, Radha Bai’s son and daughter-in-law were not at home.