BENGALURU: Testimony by a minor girl - who was barely seven - with granular details of a fight involving her parents and another man that ended in the murder of her father in 2018 has led to the arrest and subsequent conviction of her mother and her accomplice.A Tumakuru court on Monday held the woman and her friend guilty of murdering her husband and sentenced the duo to life imprisonment. Yashoda and Manjunath, who were out on bail, were produced before the court when judge Nagireddy passed the orders. Additionally, the court imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on the convicts.A Yashoda, 39, and N Manjunath, 35, were arrested in May 2018 on charges of bludgeoning Yashoda's husband Anjinappa to death.

Anjinappa, Yashoda and their two minor children lived in a shed on an agricultural farm in Madhugiri taluk of Tumakuru district.

In the early hours of May 12, 2018, Yashoda and Manjunath repeatedly hit Anjinappa on the head with a motorbike shock absorber outside the shed. They later dumped his body in a sump.Forensic report of blood samples from shock absorber in shed matched girl's father: Police

The next morning, Yashoda broke down, claiming Anjinappa drowned in the sump.

Anjinappa's head had injuries inconsistent with her theory of drowning. Also, his daughter said she heard her parents and a man fighting outside the shed around 1am. This led police to convert the case into that of a murder. They arrested Yashoda, who confessed to the murder. Based on her statement, Manjunath was also arrested.Police chargesheet included the minor's detailed statement on the post-midnight murder.

"The chargesheet also contained forensic reports confirming blood samples derived from the shock absorber matched those of Anjinappa. Call records proved Manjunath was present at the shed," a senior police officer said.The police chargesheet said Yashoda was in a relationship with Manjunath, which Anjinappa found out. Anjinappa worked as a caretaker of an agricultural land and as a truck driver."Yashoda and Manjunath were neighbours in Chikkaballapura.

Before marriage, Yashoda was in a relationship with Manjunath. When their relationship continued even after marriage, Anjinappa fought with her. Family members had to intervene," a cop said.As per a plan, Yashoda called Manjunath on his mobile, asking him to come to their shed in the early hours of May 12. "She wanted to separate from Anjinappa and live with Manjunath. But when it did not work, both planned to eliminate Anjinappa," police said.