Bengaluru B.Pharm student murdered by spurned lover near Mantri Square; accused on the run

BENGALURU: A 20-year-old B.Pharm student was murdered by a spurned lover behind Mantri Square Mall in Malleswaram, around 2.15pm Thursday. The victim, Yamini Priya, was a first-year student at a pharmacy college in Hosakerehalli in Banashankari. After alighting at Mantri Square Sampige Road Metro Station, Yamini was walking back to her residence in Swatantra Palya in Srirampuram. The accused, Vignesh, who resides opposite her house, is said to have thrown chilli powder on her face and slit her throat with a knife. He also attacked her face multiple times with the knife. On hearing Yamini screaming, locals rushed to the spot but she had died due to excessive bleeding. They found her body near the railway tracks behind the mall, and immediately called the police. The body was shifted to the Victoria Hospital mortuary for postmortem. The accused is on the run. The SOCO (scene of crime officer) team is yet to verify the claim that chilli powder was thrown on her face. Once the vaccused is secured, the exact reasons for the murder will come to light, DCP (North) Babasab Nemagoud told the media. A case of murder was registered by Srirampura police. Yamini left home at around 7 am Thursday to write an examination. She left college around 1 pm, and is said to have encountered Vignesh near the Indira Canteen, who stalked her on a two-wheeler. Vignesh allegedly killed her in anger when she turned down his proposal. The accused was allegedly harassing her for some months, and was also accused of tying a yellow thread around her neck six months ago, claiming he had married her. Frustrated over this, she cut the thread and threw it. The accused is also wanted in a theft case registered against him. As per the victims father, A Gopal, a tile mason, police had warned the accused six months ago when he was troubling his daughter. Since we did not want to send him to jail, an undertaking was signed by both sides. For six months, he did not trouble her. However, the harassment started again a month ago. I would regularly check with my daughter, but she did not say anything. His behaviour was not proper. The victims uncle, Murugan, said the accused would repeatedly call Yamini Priya. When she ignored him, he threatened her with dire consequences. The victims family is from Tamil Nadu, and had come to the city almost 20 years ago.