Bangalore: Hitendra Kumar’s wife Priya Devi and her daughter Neha were brutally murdered at their residence in Rajajinagar Vth block by two men on January 31, 2002.  They were murdered by her relative’s employees.  It caused a sensation at that time.

A special team formed by the then city police commissioner, HT Sangliana, led police inspector Abdul Azeem, a modern day Perry Mason, nabbed the killers Ambaram and Deeparam.  The accused hailed from Kesavana village of Jalore district in Rajasthan. Having worked at the Chickpet shop of Hitendra Kumar’s elder brother Parasmal, they wanted to get rich quickly, for which purpose, they committed the murder and decamped with cash and gold ornaments worth Rs 1 lakh.  The trial followed and the session’s court slapped the duo with the death penalty. They moved the High Court, and got it reduced to life sentence, which they are undergoing at Parappana Agrahara.

Now 14 years later, the brother-in-law. Goutham Chand of the deceased woman (Priya Devi) has got a ransom call to pay Rs 50 lakh or die, from the ‘associates’ of the two killers who are lodged in Parappana Agrahara central prison. “Goutham Chand has now sought police protection.

It is learnt that Goutham Chand received a call to his mobile number from a landline number on July 1 and the person who called him claimed he was calling on behalf of the convict Ambaram and demanded Rs 50 lakh ransom amount.  The relatives of Priya Devi are yet to recover from the murder and this threat has only increased their fear and discomfort.

The Police led by  DCP West Labu Ram  are investigating.