K'taka: Woman labourer shot dead in coffee estate, body burnt; three held

Chikkamagaluru (Karnataka), June 20 Three people have been arrested for allegedly shooting a Dalit woman labourer dead at a coffee estate here and burning her body, sources said on Tuesday.

The deceased has been identified as 55-year-old Jayamma and police said that she is an orphan. The incident took place in the limits of Mallanduru police station.

According to police, the incident had taken place one week ago at a Supreme coffee estate in Siddapura but came to light only after Chikkamagaluru SP Uma Prashanth got a phone call in this regard.

The caller had informed them that a Dalit labourer was shot dead and her body was burnt to ashes seven days ago.

Acting on the lead, police had visited the spot and confirmed that the middle-aged woman was burnt.

Preliminary investigations suggested that after shooting the woman dead, her body was taken to an isolated place, two kilometre away from the spot and set on fire.

The coffee estate owner Heggade Gowda, his son and labourer Nagappa have been arrested in connection with the case.