<p>The editor of a Kannada newspaper and his two sons-in-law were arrested on Friday for abetting the suicide of four members of their family last month. </p>.<p>The arrests by Byadarahalli police are a stunning twist in the horrific mass suicide that sent shockwaves through Bengaluru. </p>.<p>On September 17, highly decomposed bodies of three women, a man and a nine-month-old male infant were discovered from a house in Thigalarapalya, off Magadi Road, Southwest Bengaluru. </p>.<p>Police suspected that Bharathi, 51, and her married daughters Sinchana, 34, and Sindhurani, 31, killed themselves on September 13 while Bharathi’s son, Madhusagar, 25, ended his life two days later. Sindhurani’s nine-month-old baby was found dead on a bed, apparently starved to death, while Sinchana’s two-and-a-half-year-old daughter was rescued from a state of near-starvation. </p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/no-one-can-be-convicted-of-abetment-to-suicide-without-positive-act-of-instigation-sc-1032112.html" target="_blank">Read | No one can be convicted of abetment to suicide without positive act of instigation: SC</a></strong></p>.<p>The suicides were discovered after Bharathi’s husband, Hallegere Shankar, returned home after a gap of four days. Shankar had earlier told the police he had left home in a huff after a quarrel in the family. He blamed his deceased wife for the mess in the family, saying she had egged their married daughters to stay away from their husbands, and always fought with him. </p>.<p>Sinchana was married to one Praveen Kumar while Sindhurani’s husband was Srikanth. </p>.<p>Police summoned Shankar and his sons-in-law for questioning around 10 am on Friday and subsequently arrested them under IPC section 306b (abetment to suicide). A senior police officer said there was “enough material evidence” against them. </p>.<p>Byadarahalli police inspector Rajeev A and his team are questioning the suspects. </p>.<p>A police officer confirmed the arrests but refused to give more details, saying the investigation is still under way. </p>.<p>Just two days ago, police booked Bharathi, Sindhurani, Sinchana and Madhusagar for the infant’s murder. </p>.<p>Police claim to have found a death note written by Madhusagar, which essentially blames Shankar for quarrels in the family that eventually led to the mass suicide. </p>.<p>The letter purportedly states that Shankar “mentally harassed” his family on a daily basis. Madhusagar claimed to have evidence against his father in his laptop. </p>.<p>Police said they had found at least 15 screenshots of WhatsApp messages between Shankar and some women but didn’t elaborate on the nature of these messages. </p>.<p>According to the death note, Bharathi was depressed and took treatment in Nimhans as Shankar often beat her. </p>.<p>Madhusagar accused his brothers-in-law (Kumar and Srikanth) of harassing his sisters. </p>
<p>The editor of a Kannada newspaper and his two sons-in-law were arrested on Friday for abetting the suicide of four members of their family last month. </p>.<p>The arrests by Byadarahalli police are a stunning twist in the horrific mass suicide that sent shockwaves through Bengaluru. </p>.<p>On September 17, highly decomposed bodies of three women, a man and a nine-month-old male infant were discovered from a house in Thigalarapalya, off Magadi Road, Southwest Bengaluru. </p>.<p>Police suspected that Bharathi, 51, and her married daughters Sinchana, 34, and Sindhurani, 31, killed themselves on September 13 while Bharathi’s son, Madhusagar, 25, ended his life two days later. Sindhurani’s nine-month-old baby was found dead on a bed, apparently starved to death, while Sinchana’s two-and-a-half-year-old daughter was rescued from a state of near-starvation. </p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/no-one-can-be-convicted-of-abetment-to-suicide-without-positive-act-of-instigation-sc-1032112.html" target="_blank">Read | No one can be convicted of abetment to suicide without positive act of instigation: SC</a></strong></p>.<p>The suicides were discovered after Bharathi’s husband, Hallegere Shankar, returned home after a gap of four days. Shankar had earlier told the police he had left home in a huff after a quarrel in the family. He blamed his deceased wife for the mess in the family, saying she had egged their married daughters to stay away from their husbands, and always fought with him. </p>.<p>Sinchana was married to one Praveen Kumar while Sindhurani’s husband was Srikanth. </p>.<p>Police summoned Shankar and his sons-in-law for questioning around 10 am on Friday and subsequently arrested them under IPC section 306b (abetment to suicide). A senior police officer said there was “enough material evidence” against them. </p>.<p>Byadarahalli police inspector Rajeev A and his team are questioning the suspects. </p>.<p>A police officer confirmed the arrests but refused to give more details, saying the investigation is still under way. </p>.<p>Just two days ago, police booked Bharathi, Sindhurani, Sinchana and Madhusagar for the infant’s murder. </p>.<p>Police claim to have found a death note written by Madhusagar, which essentially blames Shankar for quarrels in the family that eventually led to the mass suicide. </p>.<p>The letter purportedly states that Shankar “mentally harassed” his family on a daily basis. Madhusagar claimed to have evidence against his father in his laptop. </p>.<p>Police said they had found at least 15 screenshots of WhatsApp messages between Shankar and some women but didn’t elaborate on the nature of these messages. </p>.<p>According to the death note, Bharathi was depressed and took treatment in Nimhans as Shankar often beat her. </p>.<p>Madhusagar accused his brothers-in-law (Kumar and Srikanth) of harassing his sisters. </p>
