Chamarajanagar court acquits man in woman’s death case, cites lack of evidence

Chamarajanagar : In a significant development, the district sessions court in Chamarajanagar has acquitted a man accused in the mysterious death of a woman, citing failure of the police to produce sufficient evidence.

The case dates back to December 16, 2023, when the decomposed body of a woman, identified as Rekha, was found at her residence in Adarshanagar of Kollegal town. Following the discovery, Kollegal Town Police registered a case and arrested Nagendra alias Anand, a lineman who was reportedly in a live-in relationship with the deceased.

Police had suspected Nagendra’s involvement in the death and filed a chargesheet against him. However, during the trial, the court observed serious lapses in the investigation process, including failure to collect concrete evidence linking the accused to the crime.

Rekha, who had earlier lost her husband to suicide, was living with her daughter in Adarshanagar. It was alleged that she had developed a relationship with Nagendra, leading police to suspect him as the prime accused.

The case came to light after a school teacher visited Rekha’s house when her daughter stopped attending classes and found the body in a decomposed state. Police had initially struggled to determine whether it was a case of murder or suicide due to the condition of the body.

During the trial, the defence highlighted that Rekha had been consuming medication for health issues, and tablets were found near the body. The lawyer argued that her death could have been due to a medical reaction rather than homicide.

Accepting the argument and noting lack of strong evidence, the court acquitted Nagendra. The ruling has raised questions over the quality of investigation by the police, with critics pointing to procedural lapses and premature conclusions.

The case continues to remain a mystery, with uncertainty persisting over whether Rekha’s death was a murder or suicide.