Pramesh S Jain
Accused confesses to killing seven over personal dispute; seven-year-old daughter allegedly brainwashed into assisting him;child rescued during arrest.
In a shocking case of multiple murders,a cab driver allegedly killed seven members of his wife’s family, including his wife,mother-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, over a personal dispute.
The gruesome killings,which took place in the city,came to light following a missing persons complaint.
The accused,identified as Indushekhar,52,was arrested by the Rajajinagar police.
The victims have been identified as Indushekhar’s wife Sunitha,his mother-in-law Roopavati,her sons Shivakumar and Shankar,their wives Divya and Nalini, and Shankar’s seven-year-old son Puneeth.
Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh,while briefing the media on the preliminary investigation,said that a missing persons complaint was registered at Srirampura police station on November 3.
According to the Commissioner,the accused allegedly confessed to murdering seven people.
However,police have recovered only one body so far, and efforts are under way to trace the remaining six bodies.
Investigators suspect that the murders were carried out over a period of time,with family members going missing one after another at intervals of 15 to 20 days.
The accused allegedly used the deceased person’s mobile phone to lodge the missing persons complaint on November 3,the Commissioner said.
A child was rescued when the police apprehended the accused.Investigators found that he had allegedly planned to kill the child as well.
The accused’s minor daughter is also suspected to have assisted him after he allegedly brainwashed her and manipulated her into supporting his actions.
The accused was working as a cab driver.The Commissioner also revealed that a chain-snatching case had been registered against him at Madanayakanahalli police station around five years ago.
Police are continuing their investigation to establish the sequence of murders,recover the remaining bodies and ascertain the exact motive behind the killings.
A senior police officer said that Shekar had been having frequent disputes with his wife Sunitha for nearly two decades.
The relationship had reportedly deteriorated over the years,with recurring arguments between the couple.He was also suspecting her fidelity.
The accused allegedly developed a grudge against five relatives—Roopavathi,Nalini,
He eventually decided to eliminate all those whom he held responsible for taking his wife’s side,officer said.
Invited victims separately As part of the alleged plan,Shekar summoned the victims individually to his residence between October 16 and 31,ostensibly to have food.
Once they arrived,he allegedly attacked them with a stone bowl available in the house and murdered them. T
The police also found the involvement of his minor daughter’s and she is studying PUC in a private college.
After the murders, the accused allegedly transported the bodies in his Toyota Etios car and disposed of them at different locations to avoid detection.
The locations mentioned in the police release include Yercaud Ghat near Salem in Tamil Nadu,Chamundi Hills in Mysuru,Nandi Hills and Shiradi Ghat.
The accused allegedly continued disposing of the bodies at these locations till November 3,the day the missing persons complaint was lodged.
Minor daughter’s alleged role Another disturbing aspect of the case is the alleged involvement of the accused’s 17-year-old daughter.
During questioning, Indushekar reportedly told the police that he had taken his minor daughter’s assistance in carrying out the crime.
The nature and extent of her alleged involvement, however, is yet to be established independently,the officer said.
Following his alleged confession, the police arrested him on November 5 and took up further investigation to recover evidence and ascertain the role of the minor.
A case has been registered in Rajajinagar Police Station and further investigation will be carried out under Joint CP West C Vamshi Krishna,DCP North,B S Nemagouda,and three ACPs will carry out the investigation he added.
