BANTWAL: In a shocking incident that occurred on Thursday evening, Bantwal police have apprehended a man accused of hacking a woman to death in broad daylight at the KSRTC bus stand in Bantwal, Dakshina Kannada district. The victim, identified as Lavanya, a 21-year-old resident of Kakyapadavu village, succumbed to her injuries at the scene.
The accused, identified as Chetan, 22, is reportedly a distant relative of the victim. Preliminary investigations suggest that Chetan had been relentlessly pursuing Lavanya, who had reportedly rejected his advances. The attack took place around 6 p.m. as Lavanya was waiting for a bus to return home after finishing her shift at a private nursing home in Kalladka.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that Lavanya had boarded a bus but alighted shortly after. Chetan, who was also present at the bus stand, allegedly followed her. He then reportedly pulled out a machete from his bag and launched a brutal, repeated assault. Despite Lavanya’s attempts to flee, Chetan allegedly chased and attacked her, inflicting fatal injuries before fleeing the scene. The weapon was reportedly left behind.
The incident, which occurred in the presence of numerous commuters, caused panic. Bystanders rushed Lavanya to the Bantwal Taluk Government Hospital, where she was declared dead upon arrival. The Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police, Dr. Arun Kumar, visited the crime scene and reviewed the investigation. Special police teams were immediately formed to track down the accused.
The Bantwal Town Police have registered a case of murder and initiated an intensive investigation. Reports suggest that a video of the attack, recorded by a bystander, has circulated widely on social media and is being examined as part of the evidence. The incident has amplified concerns regarding women’s safety in public spaces in the region, especially following a similar violent attack in Manchi village of Bantwal taluk days prior, where a minor girl was allegedly stabbed at a bus stop.
The Chenab Times News Desk