Mangaluru: The Udupi district police, who investigated the murder of 55-year-old Gulabi Hemmady, have learnt that accused Raviraj,31, killed her as she refused to pay him Rs 50,000, which he had demanded from her.

The accused, a driver by profession, was staying close to victim’s house, and was arrested two days ago. On February 28, Gulabi, who was living alone, was found dead under mysterious circumstances. Five special police teams were formed to investigate the case. Police zeroed in on Raviraj as the main accused during the course of the investigation, and arrested him near Siddapura petrol bunk.

The officer investigating the case, explaining about the crime, said that the accused had a rented vehicle, and his wife was working at a nearby cashew factory. They stayed in a rented house. He was known to the victim from the past one decade. Raviraj had borrowed some money from others and was unable to pay back the same. On February 28, he had come to Gulabi to borrow about Rs 50,000, but she outrightly turned down his demand. Gulabi was selling fish, and after death of her husband a few years ago, and she was also into the loan business.

After turning down his request, she advised him to borrow money from somebody else. Irked by this, Raviraj strangled Gulabi. Gulabi used to live alone. He later fled away with her valuables worth Rs 1.45 lakh. Raviraj later sold the same to various people in Bengaluru and Siddapura.

A special police team constituted by Nisha James, superintendent of police, Udupi, nabbed him near Siddapura. He was remanded in judicial custody and later sent to five days of police custody for further investigation.