Suicide pact: Police to question financier
The Jnanabharati police will subject Gopalkrishna, a private financier at Bannerghatta who allegedly poisoned his younger sister and two of her daughters to death, for a detailed interrogation.
Gopalkrishna also poisoned his mother and attempted to commit suicide. Both of them are recovering at a private hospital on Moodalapalya Main Road. The police have registered cases under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 309 (attempt to commit suicide) of the IPC. The police will begin the probe once he recovers fully, said the investigating officer.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) S N Sidramappa told Deccan Herald that heavy financial loss could have forced Gopalkrishna to take the extreme step, but it is not known why he included his younger sister and her children in the suicide pact. The white powder which he mixed in the soft drinks offered to them has been sent for examination, said the police inspector.
Meanwhile, post mortem of the bodies of the deceased - Varalakshmi, Senchana and Mohan Kumar - were conducted at Victoria Hospital. The bodies were cremated at a village near Anekal on Tuesday night.
A host of relatives and friends visited the private hospital where Gopalkrishna and his mother Parvatamma are recovering. “They are still in the ICU, but are out of danger. They will be shifted to the ward shortly,” said a doctor.
Gopalkrishna ventured into private financing three years ago. He reportedly borrowed huge sums from various sources, but found it difficult to repay. He had lent money to several people who had failed to repay on time which landed him in deep financial trouble. One of his close friends also failed to help him and recently parted ways with him, which led to the suicide pact, said sources in the police department.
Astrologer in trouble
Diwakar Bhat, an astrologer from Virajpet, landed in trouble for Gopalkrishna’s act as the latter offered the poison to others and then consumed it in Bhat’s car. Bhat had come to Bangalore five days ago.
Gopalkrishna discussed domestic problems with him and had requested Bhat to suggest solutions to him. Bhat had asked him to come to Virajpet along with his family members and perform a ritual to solve his problems. Bhat left for Virajpet five days before the suicide pact, leaving his car with Gopalkrishna. He asked Gopalkrishna to come to Virajpet in his car to which the latter agreed, said sources.
Bhat was shocked when he read media reports on Tuesday that Gopalkrishna had attempted suicide in his car, added the sources.
The police said Gopalkrishna wrote a death note before attempting to end his life. He stated that he suffered losses in his business and was not in a position to repay the loans. The circumstances drove him to take the extreme step, he added in the letter.
‘Drunk’ techie injures cop
A constable attached to Madiwala traffic police was injured after a software engineer, who was allegedly drunk, knocked him down in the wee hours of Tuesday at the Silk Board Junction on Hosur Road.
The suspect, Manu S Trivedi, 28, is a resident of HSR Layout. The police had erected barricades near the Silk Board junction as a routine check. At 1.50 am, Trivedi rammed into the barricades while trying to speed past it. He also crashed his vehicle into a police Hoysala and a cab.
Constable Basavaiah, who was standing nearby, was injured in the incident. Trivedi sped away in his car after this The police immediately informed the control room and Trivedi was soon apprehended and arrested by the police.
Trivedi was produced before the sixth Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Tuesday, which granted him bail.
