MiD DAY visited the house of Shiva Kumar, convicted of raping and murdering Prathibha Murthy, and talked to his wife and parents

The other side of the story

MiD DAY visited the house of Shiva Kumar, convicted of raping and murdering Prathibha Murthy, and talked to his wife and parents

Despite her son's conviction, Kempamma, Shiva Kumar's mother, sympathises with Gowramma, stating that she would do the same if she were in her position. She doesn't deny her son's connection in Pratibha's murder; but is praying to god that court will not award a death.

Shivakumar is the only son to his parents, who have crossed 60 now. They are daily wage workers, who work in other people's farms. They sold their ancestral property to fight the case --a small teashop and a half-acre piece of land. They don't why their son killed Pratibha, but are hoping that he would his return.

Kempamma told this reporter, "I don't deny his connection with the murder, but I assure you that he was never involved in such incidents before. He never misbehaved with anyone, and always maintained an amicable relationship with others.

"I don't blame Gowramma (Prathibha's mother) because she must be sad, as she lost her daughter. I would do the same if I were in her position. But she doesn't know that we are really poor and unable to fight the fight. There are others who are involved in the murder, and my son was implicated because he is poor."

Kantaraju, his father, said, "It is destiny. As his father I still believe him. I want to take this case to higher courts as well." Rajanna, Shivakumar's childhood friend said, "I know him the best. He cannot do such a thing."

'He will return'
Suma, the 23-year-old wife of Shiva Kumar still can't believe that her husband committed such a heinous offence. Suma, who stays with her mother-n-law, and takes care of her four-and-a-half year old son Prajwal, told this reporter, "I am and sure he will return to me one day."

Suma was four months pregnant when her husband was arrested in Bangalore. She came to know about it three days later, when the police informed her what her husband had done.

She said, "I am living without my husband since his arrest in 2005. But we lived happily for one-and a-half years after our marriage in 2004. When the police arrested him, I was four months pregnant. I thought he would back after a few days, but he didn't. I have never thought about remarrying, and never will, because I am sure my husband will come back. If that does not happen, I will raise my son all by myself. After all, I am not the only person in this world living alone."

She does not her husband's role in the rape-murder. "He cannot do such a thing, with a wife like me. He is a good man, and he loved me."