Two held for murdering cab driver

BANGALORE: For Dharmaraj, it was the call of fate. The cab driver, a native of Haveri, was the first to pick the call which came through Justdial for a trip to Kolar.
When Dharmaraj set out on his journey in his Innova from Bangalore on April 2, he didn't know he was ferrying a gang of seven dacoits. They had purportedly hired the cab to visit the wife of one of the men in Baithamangala, Kolar district.
All along, the gang was just following a cold-blooded plot: to steal the Innova and sell it. Their plan for the driver was simple: kill and dump him. They found a eucalyptus grove to carry out their deed, then drove away in the MUV.
Byappanhalli police, who began tracking them, on Saturday arrested two men, while the remaining five are on the run. According to police, the gang was desperate for money and looking to sell the car and make a quick buck. They allegedly selected their victim randomly, dialling a number they got from Justdial, and insisted on an Innova.
Police started investigations based on a missing complaint lodged by Dharmaraj's family, when he didn't return from his trip or take their calls. Later, the cops heard about a body found in a eucalyptus grove in Kolar; on inspection, it was found to be Dharmaraj's.
Cops started out with his cell phone records, and found he had been contacted by Justdial, which led them to the mobile numbers of the gang.
During this time, the gang had allegedly made a few unsuccessful attempts to sell the MUV for Rs 3 lakh. Police collected tips about their efforts to sell it, and contacted the assailants. This led to the arrest of Bharath Kumar, 19, from Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, and Mohan Babu, 21, from Byappanahalli in Bangalore.
Their interrogation revealed a chilling story. On reaching Baithamangala, the suspects told Dharmaraj it would take some time for the woman to turn up, and asked him to join them for a drink at a bar. They directed him towards a eucalyptus grove close to Baithamangala lake. Soon after entering the grove, they hacked him to death, police said.
They collected his valuables, abandoned his body and fled.