Madikeri: Stalker guns down teacher, ends life

MADIKERI: Adengada Asha, 45, a widowed teacher at a private school in Gonikoppal, was shot dead by Machimada Jagadish, 55, around 8.15am Friday at a bus shelter in Balele, south Kodagu. He then killed himself with the same single-barrel gun .


His first shot injured Asha in the head and the second hit her in the chest, killing her instantly.

YK Dinesh, a PU student at Vijayalakshmi Junior College, Balele, and PB Pemmi, an estate labourer, rushed to help her but were injured when Jagadish fired indiscriminately.

Asha was a much-loved teacher in Lions High School and villagers and students rushed to pay their last respects. Asha, whose husband died several years ago, had two daughters, one employed and the other a final-year degree student. Jagadish, a coffee grower, lost his wife two years ago and is survived by a daughter.

Initially, Jagadish and Asha reportedly shared a friendly relationship but there was some discord over financial matters in recent times.

Jagadi sh was said to be blackmailing Asha with a few fake pictures of her. She had complained to Gonikoppal police, who had sent him to prison for a few days. After being released, he threatened to kill her and she complained to the SP. An enraged Jagadish reportedly visited her at home and threatened her. A terrified Asha even installed CCTV cameras around her house. Police said Jagadish was known to tease girls waiting for a bus and would offer to drop them.