Greed for treasure takes girl’s life

DHNS

• Irate residents thrash killer couple

Maddur (Karnataka), 01 July 2010: In an apparent case of human sacrifice an eight-year-old girl was killed in Adaganahalli village in Kestur by a couple who was looking for hidden treasure. 

 
Shalini, daughter of Krishna and Savitha, was studying in class three in Adaganahalli Government Higher Primary School.

On Tuesday at around 10.30 am, Annapurna from the same village asked Shalini to accompany her to a wedding and took her away from school.

When the girl did not return home till late in the evening, the couple searched for their daughter all over the village. They then found a classmate of Shalini who told them about Annapurna taking their daughter from school.

The couple, accompanied by some villagers, then went to the house of Annapurna and her husband Manu. When questioned, Annapurna denied having taken Shalini from the school.

Body found
However, when the villagers searched their house, they found blood stains on the floor. After some more searching, they found Shalini’s body, under the bed, buried under a pile of coconuts.

Her parents were shocked to find that a thumb was missing on one hand and one of Shalini’s palms was severed.

Irate villagers thrashed Annapurna and Manu, and handed them over to Kestur police.

DySP Abdul Khayum inspected the scene of crime. An autopsy was conducted at the Government hospital and police security was beefed up at the village to prevent any untoward incident.