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Bengaluru geologist’s murder: Police probing professional angle, detain sacked contract employee

The deceased, Prathima, had sacked driver Arun four months ago; she had also submitted a report on illegal quarrying.

Published Nov 06, 2023 | 1:18 PM ⚊UpdatedNov 06, 2023 | 1:18 PM

Victim Prathima, senior geologist with the Mines and Geology Department in the State

Investigators probing the murder of a senior geologist in Bengaluru are looking at the possibility of professional rivalry leading to the crime, police said on Monday, 6 November.

The deceased, Prathima KS, had recently submitted a report on illegal quarrying in about four acres at Hunusamarenahalli near Yelahanka in the Chikkajala police station limits. An MLA and a few others were reportedly behind the illegal activity.

Incidentally, the Chikkajala police were aware of the officer cracking down on the illegal sand mafia. In July, the Chikkajala police had registered a case against the BJP MLA and three others, including a woman, for alleged illegal quarrying.

Report submitted by murdered Prathima KS

Prathima had even conducted inspections at the quarry and submitted a report to the government stating that the activity had caused a loss of ₹25.35 lakh to the exchequer.

Soon after Prathima’s murder, her report on illegal quarrying surfaced online and went viral. The report said quarrying was being carried out without permission in four acres and five guntas where more than 50,000 metric tonnes of earth have been excavated in four areas.

There were around 5,000 metric tonnes of building stone at the quarry and more than 25,000 metric tonnes of stones had been shipped out.

Related: Senior geologist found murdered at home in Bengaluru

Police question driver

Meanwhile, the Subramanyapura police detained a person of interest, Kiran, from Chamarajnagar on Sunday night.

The man had been working as a driver for around four years on contract with the Mines and Geology Department and was sacked four months ago by Prathima, a senior police officer told South First.

The police learnt that soon after Prathima’s murder, Kiran went missing.

The man’s father was also a contract employee with the Mines and Geology Department. An investigating team picked him up from Chamrajanagar and brought him to Bengaluru, where he was being interrogated.

“We have a suspect in custody whom we are interrogating at present. The suspect is a former contract employee, who worked as a driver with the Mines and Geology Department. As of now, we cannot conclude he is the murderer. Interrogation is continuing,” investigating officer ACP Pavan N told South First.