Police in Bengaluru’s Whitefield have arrested a member of the laundry staff hailing from Manipur for allegedly killing a Mumbai-based HR executive residing in a service apartment. The suspect has been identified as 21-year-old Laishram Hemba Singh.

33-year-old Rajita Kadappuram, who was staying in Crest on the seventh floor of Prestige Shantiniketan located on ITPL Road, Whitefield, was found murdered in the second week of February.

Police suspect that Rajita was killed on the intervening night of February 8 and 9. Rajita was working with Helma India and used to work half of every month from Bengaluru. During her stay in the city, she used to stay in the service apartment, as her office was located in the same complex. In Mumbai, she used to live with her parents and her husband was working with an airline in UK.

Police claim that Laishram has confessed to have killed her for money. Speaking with The HIndu, a senior police officer said that Laishram had gone to return Rajita’s room to return her clothes and noticed she was alone. He then entered her room by pushing her inside and hit her with an iron rod and made sure she was dead by smothering her, police said. He also allegedly made away with Rs 3,500 and two of her mobile phones.   

Her body was found lying in a pool of blood by her neighbours and colleagues who opened the door with a spare key, after they could not reach her on her phones on February 9 evening. She was found with froth in her mouth, which led to the suspicion that she had attempted suicide.