A man allegedly killed his married lover and stabbed her paralysed husband and teenage daughter before killing himself in northern Bengaluru.
Rangadhamaiah, 35, from Chitradurga district, had rented the first-floor house of one Shivaraja, 38, at Hegganahalli in Rajagopalanagar, six years ago. Shivaraja, who suffered a paralysis attack a few years ago, runs a grocery store while his wife Lakshmi, 36 worked in a garment factory. The couple was married for 18 years.
A female neighbour found Lakshmi hacked to death when she went to her house around 10.30 am on Tuesday. The couple's daughter was found lying unconscious on a bed while Shivaraja was sitting helplessly in a pool of blood.
Her screams drew other neighbours who rushed to the house and called the police. A team of policemen rushed to the house and shifted Shivaraja and his daughter to a private hospital where they have been fighting for their lives in the ICU.
More shock lay in store when police arrived at the spot and went to the first-floor house. They found Rangadhamaiah hanging from a nylon wire tied to the hook of the ceiling fan and a knife pierced deep in his stomach.
Police officers soon learnt that the killer had used a very long knife to kill Lakshmi and attack her daughter when she came to her rescue. He later slit Shivaraja’s throat and fled from the house.
Solving the mystery, police found the footage of a CCTV camera that had captured Rangadhamaiah entering and exiting Shivaraja's house late on Monday night.
N Shashikumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), said Rangadhamaiah killed Lakshmi after she started avoiding him after being forced by her husband and daughter.
Rangadhamaiah’s wife died a year ago and he sent his children to his hometown. He allegedly became close to Lakshmi but Shivaraja soon learnt about it. Both he and his daughter convinced Lakshmi to stay away from Rangadhamaiah, and she paid heed and started avoiding the latter.
This enraged Rangadhamaiah and he vowed revenge. He went to Lakshmi’s house around Monday midnight and bludgeoned her to death. Presuming to have killed all the three, he returned to his house upstairs and committed suicide around 4 am on Tuesday, said a police officer.