K’taka man allegedly beheads grandmother believing it would bring him treasure

32-year-old Ramesh Gollara has also been accused of killing a minor boy in 2016 and was out on bail when he allegedly beheaded his grandmother.

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A terrifying case of murder has come to light in Karnataka's Badanagodi village, where a 32-year-old man beheaded his 75-year-old grandmother believing he would find treasure.

On Thursday evening, the neighbours of 75-year-old Puttavva Gollara got suspicious when foul smell emanated from her house. Several of her neighbours, who were concerned for her, knocked on her door. When there was no answer, they looked through a window on the east side of the house, where the smell was much stronger.

Concerned for her health, they knocked down the front door and went into the bedroom, to find that Puttavva had been beheaded.

"Puttavva's neighbours then began looking for her grandson Ramesh Gollara, as they suspected that he must have killed her. Her neighbours were wary of Ramesh as he had just been released from prison on bail," the Banavasi Police told TNM.

Within an hour, the members of Badanagodi village, found Ramesh Gollara sitting in an empty plot in the village, where he was questioned about his grandmother's death.

"The members of the village beat up Ramesh after questioning him and handed him over to the police," the Banavasi police added. Up on questioning Ramesh, police say that he confessed to killing Puttavva.

"When we asked him why he killed her, we were shocked. He said that goddess Huligamma would possess his body and his dreams. He said that she had possessed his body and mind and told him to separate the head and torso of five people if he wanted to find hidden treasure," the Banavasi Police added.

Ramesh had allegedly killed Puttavva on Tuesday night and had left home on Wednesday due to the smell of decomposition. Police say that he was wandering around the outskirts of the village on Thursday as well.

"This is not the first time Ramesh Gollara has been accused of murder. In November 2016, Ramesh had confessed to beheading and mutilating the body of a minor and dumping it near Malagi Dam. When the Mundgod Police had questioned him, he had told them the same story. Back then too, he said goddess Huligamma had possessed his body and mind and had told him to behead a person in order to find treasure," the Banavasi Police said.

Ramesh Gollara had obtained bail two weeks ago after being arrested for the murder of the minor in 2016. The Banavasi Police arrested him on Thursday evening and booked him for murder. "We are objecting to his bail plea as he could end up killing more people. We suspect that he may be suffering from a mental illness and will take him for a medical checkup," the Banavasi Police added.