BELAGAVI: Another March murder, another mystery. Days after Bengaluru girl Vennela’s murder was cracked, an ex-serviceman’s death under suspicious circumstances that had cops in knots has been solved.Aided by intelligent observation of the sequence of events and investigations, Belagavi police solved the death of 46-year-old former serviceman Sandeep Manjaragi.The key motive: Suma, 40, allegedly wanted to eliminate her husband so that she and her boyfriend, Pundalik Dombar, 26, could lead an unhindered life; also, she was eyeing his Rs 2 crore insurance amount. The duo reportedly confessed to the crime. They have not been arrested yet.Her boyfriend was her husband’s business partner in a hotel. When the business failed, Pundalik stayed on with the family as a driver.Sandeep, from Ghodageri village in Hukkeri taluk, sustained minor injuries in a bike accident near Ghataprabha town in Gokak taluk on March 13.As he recovered steadily in hospital, his wife and her lover are said to have hatched a conspiracy to eliminate him, fearing his recovery would jeopardise their relationship.Despite minor injuries, the ex-serviceman died on March 15. The accused allegedly attempted to portray the death as a consequence of the accident.Police suspected the involvement of hospital laboratory staff, who allegedly helped the main accused administer pesticide through the saline in the hospital, resulting in his death.A breakthrough in the case came after evidence of the woman’s extramarital relationship surfaced. Sustained interrogation of the suspects exposed the alleged murder conspiracy. Following court permission, police Thursday exhumed the body of the deceased for forensic examination.
