Bangalore software engineer found dead at picnic spot

A software engineer, who went missing from Bangalore seven days ago, was found dead at the scenic picnic spot of Shivanasamudra about 120 kms from the City on Friday.

Police said Manoj Kumar, 24, a native of Meerut, was working with a software company on Bannerghatta Road in Bangalore since the last two months. Police investigation had revealed that three persons including an office attendant had murdered Manoj Kumar.

Apparently, Manoj Kumar, who used to go to office by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus, became friendly with another commuter Syed Mubasshirulla, 20, an office attendant, who also spoke Hindi.

On March 31, Syed Mubasshirulla went to Manoj’s room and invited him for a picnic to Shivanasamudram with his friends. Manoj happily joined Syed and his friends Adil and Yasin to Shivanasamudram. All of them had their lunch in a hotel at Shivanasamudram before proceeding towards the water falls at the picnic spot.

They reached the bottom of the falls and went to an isolated place, where the river was flowing. When Manoj bent down to drink water from the river, the trio pushed him and crushed his head with a boulder, police said. As Manoj lay dead, the trio robbed him of his valuables including a credit card and a mobile phone before returning home.

When Manoj did not turn up for work the next day, his colleagues called him up only to find his mobile phone switched off. As days passed by with no sign of Manoj, his worried colleagues informed his parents in Meerut. Manoj’s uncle, who is a district judge, rushed to the City and filed a missing person’s complaint with the police.

Meanwhile, Syed, along with Adil and Yasin went on a purchase-spree, buying new clothes and mobile phones using Manoj’s credit card. They also withdrew Rs 18,000 from his account through the ATM.

Police, who had taken up the investigation, found that it was Syed, who was last seen with Manoj. Initially, Syed gave evasive answers, but on detailed interrogation, he spilled the beans about the murder and gave the names of his two associates. Based on the information, a police team accompanied by Ramkumar went to the scene of crime and brought the dead body to the City.