Shivmogga : Madhu, 20, the prime accused in sub-inspector Jagadish murder case, hails from Bhadravathi. He was brought up in his ancestral house situated at Hanumanthanagar, Hosamane area in the steel town with his brother Raghu and elder sisters by his mother Thimmakka.

According to neighbours, Madhu moved to Bengaluru with his mother a few years ago for construction works. He had been staying with his mother and Harish Babu in Bengaluru for the past a few years. Police records indicate that Madhu has a criminal background.

According to Superintendent of Police Ravi D Channannavar, six cases had been registered against him in various police stations in the district.

They are related to house burglary and property theft. He was once arrested in 2014 by the Shivamogga rural police. At present, Lakshmamma, Madhu’s grandmother aged around 70 years, resides in the house.

When asked about the case, she said that she was not aware of anything. None of her family members comes to see her.

She lives on the widow pension given by the government. The neighbours pointed out that Madhu’s mother Thimmakka had given surety to many people in several cases to earn money.

This has been her source of livelihood for many years. They stated that she hardly stayed with her mother in the house whenever she was in the steel town. Thimmakka used to leave early morning and return home at night.

Police said they were still examining whether Thimmakka, mother of Madhu, was accused in any case.

The neighbours said that Madhu had lost his father Krishnappa, a daily wage worker, at an young age. Since then, the family burden had fallen on the shoulders of Thimmakka.

His two sisters – Rekha and Manjula – have been married off.