Pramesh S Jain
Three months after the mysterious death of a five-year-old girl in Bengaluru’s Kadugodi area,police have registered a murder case against the child’s mother and her alleged live-in partner following a complaint filed by the girl’s father.
The case pertains to the death of Vennila,who was found dead on March 25 at a villa in Seegehalli under the jurisdiction of the Kadugodi police station.
Based on the complaint lodged by the girl’s father, Praveen Basappa,police have registered a case against his estranged wife Priyanka P,and her alleged partner Mohan J.Mahaningappa.
According to the complaint,Praveen and Priyanka were married in 2007 and have two daughters.
Praveen alleged that Priyanka rekindled a relationship with her college friend Mohan in late 2025 and subsequently began living with him in Bengaluru after seeking a divorce.
Their younger daughter Vennila was reportedly staying with the mother,while the elder daughter remained with Praveen.
The complainant stated that on March 25 he received information from Priyanka’s brother that Vennila had died.
When questioned about the circumstances,Priyanka allegedly gave varying explanations,claiming at one point that the child had eaten biryani the previous night and,on another occasion,that she had been given ice cream and later left sleeping in an air-conditioned car while Priyanka and Mohan attended a birthday celebration.
Praveen said he later obtained the post-mortem report and shared it with a relative,a paediatric specialist based in the United Kingdom,who allegedly expressed suspicion about the circumstances surrounding the death.
This prompted him to approach the police with allegations that the child may have been assaulted and suffocated.
In his complaint,Praveen further alleged that Priyanka and Mohan intended to start a new life together and were exploring options to have a child through IVF.
He claimed that Vennila had become an obstacle to their plans and accused the pair of murdering her and attempting to destroy evidence.
Police sources said Mohan has been arrested in connection with the case,while efforts are underway to trace Priyanka,who is currently absconding.
Investigators are awaiting the forensic science laboratory (FSL) report and other expert opinions before drawing final conclusions.Further investigation is in progress.
