BENGALURU: A dinner invitation, sleeping pills and a television blaring at full volume allegedly formed part of a chilling sequence of events leading to seven murders at a rented house in Rajajinagar.Police suspect that a 52-year-old cab driver, S Indushekhar, killed his wife and six members of her extended family over a 15-day period before wrapping their bodies in plastic sheets, stuffing them into gunny bags and ferrying them in his car to different locations.The latest development in the case came with the recovery of the bodies of Indushekhar’s wife Sunitha and her mother Rupavathi from a forest area in Salem district of Tamil Nadu. This has taken the total number of bodies recovered to three. A 12-member team comprising family members has travelled to Salem to identify the bodies and complete the necessary legal formalities.According to cops, Indushekhar allegedly killed Sunitha on the night of October 14. The following day, his 17-year-old daughter called Rupavathi and invited her to their home for dinner, saying they would prepare mutton curry. Investigators suspect the invitation was part of a plan to lure her to the house, where she was allegedly killed.During interrogation, Indushekhar allegedly told police that he used sleeping pills to sedate his victims before bludgeoning them with a grindstone after they fell asleep. He would turn up the television volume while attacking them to ensure that neighbours did not hear the sounds of the assaults, police said.After the killings, Indushekhar and his daughter allegedly wrapped the bodies in multiple layers of plastic sheets to prevent blood from leaking out before placing them in gunny bags. They would then carry the bags to his Toyota Etios in the early hours and drive away to dispose of the bodies at different locations.Police have recovered at least half a dozen perfume bottles from the Toyota Etios, which is now part of the investigation. Investigators are examining their possible use in connection with the disposal of the bodies.
Gold ornaments removed before bodies were dumped
Investigators have also found that Indushekhar allegedly removed gold ornaments from the bodies of his wife and three other women before disposing of them. He is suspected to have sold some of the jewellery, and police are now trying to trace the transactions and establish where the ornaments went.The postmortem report of seven-year-old Puneeth, who was allegedly killed on October 29, confirmed four blunt-force injuries to his head, including the forehead and crown, police said.The 52-year-old cab driver was arrested near Ulsoorgate on Wednesday. Police suspect he killed seven people at his rented house on 59th Cross, Rajajinagar V Block, between October 14 and 31. The victims included his wife and six members of her extended family.His 17-year-old daughter is suspected to have assisted him in some of the murders and in disposing of the bodies. Investigators are probing her alleged role in the sequence of killings and the subsequent disposal of the victims.
10-year-old boy was next target
A 10-year-old boy, the son of two of the victims, was found in Indushekhar’s car when police arrested him near Ulsoorgate. Investigators said the accused had allegedly planned to kill the child as well.The boy had reportedly been taken away from his home on the pretext that his parents had gone on a pilgrimage. He spent several days with Indushekhar and his daughter, unaware that his parents had allegedly been murdered. Police suspect that the accused was waiting for an opportunity to kill him before his arrest.The boy’s presence in the car proved crucial in the investigation, with police rescuing him before the alleged plan could be carried out.
Nearly 20 years of marital discord behind killings
Police suspect the murders stemmed from a prolonged marital dispute between Indushekhar and Sunitha. During questioning, he allegedly told investigators that he had been in conflict with his wife for nearly 20 years and blamed her relatives for supporting her during their disputes.Investigators are also examining the family property angle. Relatives of the victims have alleged that a dispute over property worth around Rs 3 crore could have been behind the killings, though police are continuing to establish the motive.The case came to light after family members grew suspicious when several relatives went missing. A relative had also noticed that messages were being sent from Sunitha’s phone, but nobody was receiving calls from her.Investigators suspect Indushekhar had been using his wife’s phone to message her mother and conceal her murder.Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of all seven murders, the disposal of the bodies at different locations, the suspected sale of gold ornaments and the role of the accused’s daughter.