Bengaluru police has registered a suo moto case against the paying guest (PG) accommodation owners where 24-year-old Kriti Kumari was murdered in July this year. M Shyamsundar Reddy and his wife Bhargavi are owners of PG accommodation named Bhargavi Staying Homes for Ladies, located at Venkata Reddy Layout in Koramangala VI block. Vijikumar, the owner of the building, has also been named in the FIR. The case was registered on August 9 under Section 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
According to police, on the night of the murder, the entrance gate of the PG was left open around 11pm, and no security guard was present. Although a biometric system for resident access was installed, it was not used. These security lapses allowed the murder accused, Abhishek Ghosi, to easily enter the premises where he killed Kriti Kumari on the third-floor corridor.
Earlier in the month, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike had issued specific guidelines for PG accommodations, including mandatory installation of cameras, biometric devices, and deployment of security guards. Despite receiving notices on February 10 and April 10, the PG and building owners allegedly failed to implement these safety measures, according to Times of India.
The deceased, Kriti Kumari, a native of Kesar Nagar in Bihar, was working at a private company. CCTV visuals from the PG accommodation shows the woman being hacked to death by her roommate's boyfriend Abhishek on the night of July 23. He was arrested on July 27.