Skeletal remains of five members of family recovered from house in Chitradurga
Chitradurga (K'taka) (PTI): The skeletal remains of five members of a family were recovered from a house in Chitradurga district in Karnataka, police said Friday.
The skeletal remains are suspected to be that of a retired government executive engineer Jagannath Reddy (85), his wife Prema (80), daughter Triveni (62), sons Krishna (60) and Narendra (57), they said.
However, the identity of the deceased could be ascertained only after forensic examination, police said, adding that the cause of death will be established through an autopsy.
The family members kept to themselves and had severe health issues. They were last seen in 2019 and their residence has remained locked since then, police said.
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The police came to know about the incident on Thursday through a local media personnel, who was informed by a person in the locality.
"We visited the spot on Thursday evening and spoke to acquaintances and relatives of the family. All of them claimed that the family used to live a completely secluded life and were facing critical health issues. The family was last seen in June-July 2019. The house was always locked. Around two months ago, the main wooden door was seen broken by someone on their morning walk, but police weren't informed," a senior police officer said.
A police visit to the scene of the crime suggested that the house had been intruded multiple times and ransacked. Four skeletons (two on beds, two on the floor) were found in one room in a sleeping position, while another skeleton was found in a lying position in another room, he said.
Forensic Science Laboratory experts from Davanagere were called to collect evidence. The crime scene has been guarded and sealed to ensure there is no tampering with evidence, he said.
"The exact cause of death is not clear. It could be suicide or something else. We are in the initial stage of investigation. We will be able to ascertain the cause of death only after the forensic examination and autopsy is done, and the reports are received," the officer added.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Tumakuru, State Home Minister G Parameshwara said, "There is a report about finding five skeletons in a house. For how long they have been there, and who they are. I have asked the police to investigate it."
"The police are already at work and the samples have been sent to a forensic science lab to find age and other details. Also, information is being gathered as to whom the house belongs to and who were living there.
"Whether they died by suicide or killed by some one, details are not known. After investigation and from a forensic report, we will get to know. Until then, we can't say anything or come to any conclusion," he said.
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Karnataka Minister Muniyappa to hold meeting to resolve Auto LPG supply issue
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister K H Muniyappa on Monday said that he will call a meeting on April 10 aimed at resolving the Auto LPG supply issue in the state.
He also said that private oil companies had hiked LPG prices for vehicles, leading to long queues at public sector stations.
Bengaluru and several other places in the state are witnessing disruption in auto services, hit by a shortage of Auto LPG. Long queues of autos are seen outside fuel stations at many places.
On Monday, the minister met with representatives of auto drivers' associations and heard their concerns.
"We are aware that auto drivers are in distress. Around 3,000 Auto LPG cylinders are being supplied by the central government daily, but private suppliers have increased the price, which is causing inconvenience to auto drivers. I will immediately call a meeting to resolve the issue," Muniyappa, who holds Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs portfolios, said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "The government supplies approximately 3,000 Auto LPG cylinders daily. The private companies also supply equal numbers of cylinders. I have learned that private companies have increased the prices. I will speak to the concerned officials."
"On April 10, I will call a meeting and try to solve the issue. Auto drivers' lives depend on these LPG supplies, so I will try to resolve the issue on a priority basis," he said, adding that private companies representatives, union government officials, Indian Oil Corporation coordinators, police and senior state government officials will also be called for the meeting.
According to official sources, PSU-operated outlets, including those of IOC, are retailing Auto LPG at around Rs 89.52 per litre in Bengaluru, whereas private marketers are selling between Rs 99 and Rs 105 per litre. This difference has led to a significant shift in customer preference toward PSU-operated Auto LPG Dispensing Stations (ALDS), resulting in increased footfall and longer wait times at these stations.
Stating that the situation is serious as the war is on in West Asia, the minister sought cooperation from everyone.
"The energy or fuel crisis is there across the world. If the Centre had planned to get the energy supplies from Russia a month in advance, this situation would not have arisen. Things have happened now. Let's try and resolve the issues," he added.
