Sowjanya rape case - Santhosh Bajagoli confesses

Sowjanya rape case - Santhosh Bajagoli confesses

Mangalore Today News Network

Belthangady, Oct 14, 2012: Police investigations have confirmed that Santhosh Rao, who was arrested early this week, had indeed raped and murdered 17-year-old Sowjanya of Dharmasthala.

Abhishek Goyal, superintendent of police, confirmed on Sunday that Santhosh Rao (34) of Bajagoli in Karkala confessed that he raped and murdered the teenager, who was walking home from college all alone on Oct 9.

Santhosh, who is mentally ill, said during police interrogation, held in the presence of a psychiatrist, that he raped and murdered the teenager. Mr. Goyal told reporters that the girl was not gang raped.

Mr. Goyal said that Santhosh had committed the crime on his own and that the police had enough evidence against him. Santhosh has certain injuries on his body, which he got while raping the girl.

Santhosh has been formally arrested and will be produced before court.

According to sources, Santhosh had told the police that he had taken away the girl’s undergarments after raping and murdering her.