MADIKERI: A school teacher, who was waiting for a school bus at Balele bus stop in South Kodagu, was shot dead by an alleged stalker on Friday morning. The stalker later shot himself to death, a few feet away from the bus stop. The incident took place around 8.15 am close to the Balele police substation.
The victim, Aadengada Asha Kaveramma (45), a widow who was a teacher at Gonikoppal Lions School, was shot by Machimada Jagadeesh (55) on her right arm and head from 20 feet away from a coffee estate.
The killer used a single-barrel gun, and the victim died on the spot.
Jagadeesh later pulled the trigger on himself, sustaining injuries in the neck. He died on the spot as well. People found Asha lying in a pool of blood, and tried to shift her to a hospital, but she had died by then.
Ponnampet police rushed to spot and during a search operation for the killer, they found the dead body of Jagadeesh lying 20 feet away from the murder spot.
Asha had lost her husband nearly two years back and is survived by two daughters, who are pursuing their studies in Bengaluru. Jagadeesh had lost his wife two years back and is survived by a daughter.
It is said that Jagadeesh had been stalking Asha for a long time. When Asha ignored him, he had morphed her photo and included them in a porn film.
A complaint in this regard had been registered by Asha at Ponnampet police station earlier and Jagadeesh was in custody for nearly a month.
Following this, Jagadeesh allegedly misbehaved with Asha’s maid and a second case was registered against him recently at Ponnampet police station.
Following these police interrogations and arrests, Jagadeesh is said to have sworn openly to kill Asha. After this, CCTVs were installed at Asha’s house. Police confirmed that a Jamma registered single-barrel gun was used in the crime.