A 58-year-old woman initially believed to have died of natural causes was allegedly murdered by her sister and nephew in Karnataka’s Tumakuru district. The crime came to light on February 20, just as funeral preparations were underway in Jogihalli village of Chikkanayakanahalli taluk.
The deceased, Jayalakshmi, a First Division Assistant at the local Block Education Office, was found dead on February 19. However, an autopsy later confirmed that she had been smothered to death.
Police detained Anasuya, Jayalakshmi’s sister, and her son Chandrashekhar in connection with the murder. The investigation began after Jayalakshmi’s live-in partner, Srinivas, raised suspicions about the circumstances surrounding her death.
According to police, Jayalakshmi’s husband, a Physical Education teacher, had passed away 19 years ago. She later entered into a live-in relationship with Srinivas. She had also taken responsibility for raising her nephew Chandrashekhar after Anasuya separated from her husband, funding his education though no formal adoption was recorded.
Tensions reportedly escalated a few months ago when Anasuya and Chandrashekhar moved into Jayalakshmi’s home. Frequent disputes followed, leading Jayalakshmi and Srinivas to decide to shift to a new leased residence.
Police suspect that fearing financial cut-off and possible transfer of Jayalakshmi’s assets to her partner, the accused conspired to murder her. Investigators also revealed that the duo allegedly planned to seek a government job on compassionate grounds following her death.
A case has been registered at Chikkanayakanahalli Police Station, and both accused are currently being interrogated as further investigation continues.
