A Bengaluru cab driver has been arrested over the suspected murder of his wife and six members of her family, including a seven-year-old boy, in a case that came to light during an investigation into a missing-person complaint.
Police have so far recovered the body of seven-year-old Puneeth near Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district, while search operations are underway to locate the remaining six people whom the accused claims to have killed.
The accused has been identified as Indushekhar, also known as Shekhar. Police say he allegedly admitted during questioning that he killed his wife Sunitha, her mother Roopavathi, her brothers Shivakumar and Shankar, their wives Divya and Nalini, and Puneeth.
Missing-Person Complaint Led Police to Accused
The case came to light after Nalini’s mother approached Srirampura Police Station and reported that her daughter was missing.
As investigators began tracing the missing family members, suspicion reportedly fell on Shekhar. Police questioned him, and his alleged involvement in the suspected killings emerged during the investigation.
North Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner of Police B S Nema Gowda said police had taken up the case and were searching multiple locations for the bodies.
Around 50 police personnel, including senior officers, have reportedly been deployed in the investigation.
Accused Allegedly Killed Wife First
According to preliminary police findings, Shekhar allegedly killed his wife Sunitha first at their home near Bhashyam Circle in Bengaluru’s Rajajinagar area.
Police suspect that a grinding stone was used to attack her.
He allegedly wrapped her body and transported it in his car before disposing of it at an unidentified location.
Investigators say he then switched off Sunitha’s mobile phone and allegedly told neighbours that she had gone on a trip in an attempt to avoid suspicion.
Relatives Allegedly Lured to House
Police sources say the other alleged killings took place over the following period at the same residence.
Shekhar allegedly invited members of Sunitha’s family to the house, in some cases on the pretext of a gathering or party.
Police suspect that Shivakumar, Shankar, Divya, Nalini, Roopavathi and Puneeth were subsequently killed there.
Investigators believe the victims may have been attacked with a grinding stone, though the precise sequence and circumstances are still being reconstructed.
Bodies Allegedly Transported in Car
After the suspected killings, Shekhar allegedly used his car to transport the bodies and dispose of them at different locations.
Police sources have mentioned areas around Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district, while some reports also indicate investigators are examining other possible disposal sites.
Police have seized the car suspected to have been used for transporting the bodies as well as the grinding stone believed to have been used in the attacks.
Seven-Year-Old’s Body Recovered
Police carried out an extensive search near Nandi Hills after questioning the accused.
During the operation, investigators recovered the body of a seven-year-old boy, identified in subsequent reports as Puneeth.
It is the first body recovered in the case.
Search teams are continuing operations at several locations to find the remaining six people named in the accused’s alleged statement.
Chemicals Allegedly Used to Remove Bloodstains
Investigators suspect that Shekhar attempted to clean the crime scene after the alleged killings.
Police sources say he allegedly used chemicals to remove bloodstains and destroy evidence inside the house.
Forensic teams are expected to examine the premises and seized material as investigators try to determine whether traces of blood or other evidence remain.
Police are also examining how the suspected killings could have taken place in a residential neighbourhood without immediately drawing attention.
Domestic Dispute Suspected as Possible Motive
Police are examining long-running marital disagreements as a possible motive.
According to preliminary findings, Shekhar and Sunitha had been married for around 20 years and allegedly argued frequently over her continuing contact with her parental family.
Police sources claim Shekhar resented the support Sunitha received from her mother and brothers during marital disputes.
Investigators suspect that this resentment may have contributed to the alleged killings, though police have not yet established a final motive.
Full Sequence of Events Still Being Verified
Despite the accused’s alleged statement, investigators have stressed that several critical aspects of the case remain under verification.
Police still have to recover six bodies, establish where and when each alleged killing occurred, verify the accused’s account through forensic and other evidence, and determine whether anyone else assisted him.
Investigators are also looking into the possibility that another person may have had some role in the events, though no such involvement has been established so far.
For now, police are treating the accused’s account as part of an ongoing investigation rather than a judicially established version of events.
The recovery of the remaining bodies and forensic examination of the house, vehicle and suspected weapon are expected to be crucial in determining the exact circumstances surrounding what could become one of Bengaluru’s most serious multiple-homicide investigations in recent years.
