Bengaluru:
A 72-year-old man, on the run for over two decades, has been arrested in Karnataka’s Koppal district for murdering his third wife in 2002.
The accused, identified as Hanumantappa, had been on the run since he allegedly killed his wife Renukamma and disposed of her body by stuffing it into a gunny bag and leaving it on a bus. The brutal crime had shocked the region at the time, and a case was registered at the Gangavati Town Police Station.
Hanumantha, son of Husenappa, aged 49 at the time of the crime, is 72 years old now. He worked as a Junior Health Assistant at the Badarli Primary Health Centre and is a resident of Haladhal village in Manvi taluk of Raichur district.
Despite an extensive search and investigations, Hanumantappa had managed to evade arrest. For 23 years, he remained untraceable, leaving behind no clear trail.
Just a few days ago, the police got a tip-off that revealed that the accused had returned to his native village, Haladhal, in Manvi taluk of Raichur district. The cops managed to arrest him there.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Hanumantappa had led a quiet life under the radar in different parts of the state before returning to his hometown. Police are now probing whether he had any local support in evading arrest all these years.
Further interrogation is underway, and the accused is expected to be produced before the court soon.
