This burglar took roof route to escape CCTV, police vigil

The police have claimed to have solved the murder of a 68-year-old retired employee of a priv­ate firm in Yelahanka by arresting a habitual offender.

Naveen Kumar (29), a resident of Doddagenigere village in Hassan district, is the suspect, police said.

He is suspected to have murdered Anantharamaiah when the latter resisted the suspect’s bid to burgle valuables from his house at LIC Housing Board Colony, Yelahanka, on June 20.

“Based on CCTV footage and fingerprints from the crime spot, the police picked Naveen from his village. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime,” Additional Commissioner of Police (East) Hemanth Nimbalkar told reporters here on Saturday.

Naveen had scored 76% in Class X and 82% in PUC. He discontinued education after PUC and took to crime.

Between 2005 and 2017, Naveen committed 20 burglaries and a murder. He was kept in the Mysuru central jail. He continued his criminal activities after coming out of prison.

Naveen resorted to burglary so that he could lead a lavish lifestyle. He has two wives and two children.

He used to target houses without much gap between them so that he could move by jumping from one roof to the other. This he did to avoid the patrolling police, CCTV cameras on main roads and stray dogs.

Naveen would carry an iron rod with him and attack those who resisted his burglary attempts with it. “He said he needed Rs 12,000 to pay the dues of a bar and admission fees of his children. So, he targeted Anantharamaiah’s house,” Nimbalkar said. The suspect claimed he did not intend to murder Anantharamaiah but only burgle his dupleix house.

Anantharamaiah was sleeping on the ground floor that night. Naveen gained entry into the house by breaking open the rear door and was searching for valuables. Anantharamaiah pounced on Naveen and tried to grab him. Naveen attacked him with the iron rod. Anantharamaiah raised an alarm and fell unconscious. Sensing trouble, Naveen grabbed a suitcase and escaped. The victim died in a private hospital later.