Bengaluru: A 25-year-old woman was brutally hacked to death in full public view after being dragged out of a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus at the BC Road bus stand in Dakshina Kannada district on Thursday, July 16 evening.
The deceased has been identified as Lavanya, a resident of Kakyapadavu. According to police, Lavanya was travelling in a government bus from BC Road to Kakyapadavu after work when the incident occurred.
Eyewitnesses said a young man suddenly boarded the bus, forcibly pulled Lavanya out and attacked her repeatedly with a machete-like weapon. She collapsed in a pool of blood and succumbed to her injuries on the spot. She was later shifted to the government hospital, where doctors confirmed her death.
The attack took place around 6 pm, triggering panic among commuters and bystanders at the busy bus stand. Following the murder, the accused fled the scene.
Preliminary investigations suggest the crime may have been committed due to previous enmity or a personal dispute, though police are probing all possible angles.
Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Dr Arun Kumar rushed to the spot and reviewed the situation. Bantwal Town police have registered a case and launched an intensive search to trace and arrest the accused.
Lavanya was employed at an establishment in Kalladka and was returning home after work when she was attacked. Police are examining Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the bus stand and recording statements of eyewitnesses to establish the sequence of events. Further investigation is underway.
This post was last modified on July 16, 2026 8:24 pm