Sub-inspector arrested a day after wife’s mysterious death in Bengaluru

A police sub-inspector was arrested on Sunday, a day after his wife was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Shilpa V (29) from Chintamani was found hanging in her home in Begur's Patel Layout, South Bengaluru, early on Saturday. She had a court marriage with S V Ramesh, a native of Bagepalli, in July 2022.

Ramesh was posted as a sub-inspector at the Begur police station.

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The couple first met while pursuing a DEd course about 10 years ago and started a romantic relationship. Ramesh subsequently got a job as a police constable. He later cracked the sub-inspector exam. Shilpa moved to Bengaluru to pursue higher education.

Even though the couple became closer, Ramesh apparently dilly-dallied marrying her, Shilpa's father Venkatarayappa told the police. He eventually agreed to a court marriage, which was officiated in July last year. Things didn't end there.

According to Venkatarayappa, Ramesh often demanded that Shilpa get more dowry or else he would marry a woman from his own caste. Ramesh's elder brother, Srinivas S V, passed "disparaging" comments about Shilpa's caste and threatened to marry his brother off to a woman from their own caste, Venkatarayappa told the police.

Ramesh eventually started living alone, further straining the couple's relationship.

Police are investigating the circumstances of Shilpa's death. Ramesh claims that he was away at work when Shilpa purportedly killed herself. For now, he has been booked for murder, dowry death, criminal intimidation and other offences under the IPC.