What was initially recorded as an unnatural death in Rajarajeshwarinagar has taken a dramatic turn, with police arresting Asha’s husband, Virupaksha, and his friend on suspicion of murder after post-mortem reports raised doubts.
According to a complaint filed on January 10 by Arun Kumar, the victim’s brother, Asha had been married to Virupaksha for six years. The couple lived in Bengaluru, staying in Rajarajeshwarinagar for the past one-and-a-half years.
Arun Kumar alleged that Virupaksha neglected Asha, relied on her income, and was involved in an alleged illicit relationship. The couple had been living separately for about six weeks, with a divorce petition pending in Family Court.
On January 10, Asha was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her rented room using a saree. Based on the circumstances and the complaint, police initially registered a UDR (unnatural death report) and launched an investigation.
The case escalated when doctors at Victoria Hospital, who conducted the post-mortem on January 11, expressed suspicions about the cause of death. Following the hospital’s report, police widened their investigation.
On January 14, Virupaksha and his friend were taken into custody. During interrogation, both men reportedly confessed to involvement in the murder. Police stated that the husband strangled Asha and then staged it as a hanging.
The accused were produced before a court on January 15 and remanded to eight days of police custody for further questioning. Investigators are continuing to probe the exact motive, the sequence of events, and the friend’s role in the crime.