The Dreadful Murder of HP Employee..

 BPO worker raped and killed in B'lore, driver held

A young woman working in a call centre was allegedly raped and brutally murdered by the company's driver, police said on Friday accusing the multinational of not providing security to women on night duty.

The 24-year-old woman employee of HP was killed on early Thursday and the accused arrested in the night.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Alok Kumar said the driver, Shiv Kumar, had confessed to raping and murdering Pratibha after he picked her up from her house for night duty at the HP call centre.

"Instead of taking her to the office, located in the electronics city, the company's vehicle driver took her to Anjanapura on the outskirts of Bangalore south and raped the married woman around 3 am on Thursday," Alok Kumar said.

In his confession, Shiv Kumar said he slit her throat in panic when she tried to raise an alarm and call the office on her mobile.

"She was the lone employee being ferried to the office for duty in the odd hours," the police official said. He criticised the multinational firm for not providing security to its women employees on night duty for escorting them to office and back home.

He said it was unfortunate that a premeditated attempt to molest the victim with a sex motive had resulted in her death.

"The accused driver even robbed the victim of her mobile and cash (Rs 300) before disappearing from the spot. It is a clear case of security lapse on behalf of the company employing women on night duty. The company should provide escorts while transporting its women staff, especially on night duties," the DCP pointed out.

The police are investigating the case to ascertain the driver's antecedents and summoned HP officials to discuss providing security cover to its women employees.