B'luru BPO staffer's murder: Cab driver convicted

A court in Bengaluru on Wednesday found cab driver Shiva Kumar guilty for the rape and murder of BPO employee Pratibha Srikanthamurthy.

Fast Track Court Judge B V Guddali convicted Shiva Kumar of all the three charges under Section 366 (kidnap), Section 376 (rape) and Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

The judge said the sentence would be pronounced on October 8.

Pratibha's mother Gowramma, who has been fighting a lone battle for justice after the gruesome murder of her only daughter, broke down after hearing the court's order and
said, "He (the accused) should be hanged, he should be given the death sentence."

"It should be a lesson for others not to commit such a cold blooded crime. If such persons go scot-free, crimes will only increase," she said.

"The accused is pleading (for leniency) saying he has a wife and aged parents. What about me? I am all alone; my only daughter has also gone. Let us wait for October 8 and see what the sentence is. Then I will talk", she told PTI.

"In case justice is not done, I will not keep quiet, I will fight the case in the high court", she said.

The rape and murder of Pratibha by the cab driver employed by her firm sent shock waves through the entire BPO industry, forcing many firms to take a re-look at the security of their women employees.