An investigation to find a woman in Karnataka has revealed a chilling case of dishonour killing, in which three men allegedly murdered a married woman after she refused to end an extramarital relationship. The three men have been arrested, and the probe is on.
Satyavva Helavar, a resident of Hukeri in Karnataka's Belgavi district, was reported missing in February. In the course of the inquiry, it emerged that Satyavva eloped with Krishna Patil, with whom she was in an extramarital relationship. Police said Satyavva married Santosh Helavi four years back, but continued her relationship with Krishna Patil. After eloping, the couple briefly stayed together at a rented home. Her in-laws, meanwhile, filed a police complaint against Krishna.
Satyavva's in-laws were upset over the relationship and saw it as an act of dishonour, said police.
The investigation revealed that Satyavva's family members tracked down her and Krishna's whereabouts and then brought her back. She was then taken to Maharashtra, where her in-laws allegedly tried to convince her to end the relationship.
She refused and insisted on returning to Krishna. This enraged her relatives. On March 21, the accused allegedly forced her to consume poison, leading to her death. To erase evidence, they reportedly burnt her body at a cremation ground in Maharashtra's Sangli district, located near the state's border with Karnataka.
When Krishna could not contact Satyavva, he approached the police and filed a complaint against her in-laws, and a detailed probe brought the dishonour killing to light. The accused, identified as Prakash Bheemappa Helavar (46), Shanoor Sadashiv Helavar (35), and Kallappa Mayappa Helavi (40) were arrested and then remanded in judicial custody.
