Woman kills husband, blames it on rains and epilepsy

A 26-year-old woman allegedly killed her husband with help from others and tried to blame his death on epilepsy.

The deceased, Mahesh (33), who lived in southern Bengaluru, died on September 1. His wife, Shilpa, 26, claimed he had died after falling in rainwater in an inebriated state and suffering seizures. But Mahesh's family didn't believe her and lodged a police complaint, pointing the finger of suspicion at her.

Mahesh hailed from a family of farmers in a village in Malavalli taluk, Mandya district. He and Shilpa got married eight years ago and have a six-year-old son. The couple moved to Bengaluru three months ago, renting a house in Coconut Garden near Konanakunte. They got jobs at an apartment complex. Shilpa's parents live in Gowdanapalya, near Uttarahalli, in southern Bengaluru.

All was not well between the couple. Mahesh was an alcoholic and often came home drunk, getting into quarrels with Shilpa. He also suspected that she was having an affair. A frustrated Shilpa plotted to kill him, police said.

The fateful night

On the night of September 1, as soon as Mahesh came home in an inebriated state, Shilpa and her accomplices brutally attacked him. The attack turned fatal. Shilpa then called up Mahesh's relatives in Mandya and cooked up a story.

Citing the downpour in Bengaluru, she said Mahesh had fallen into rainwater while coming home in an inebriated state. She also claimed that he suffered seizures and died as a result.

Shilpa got the body loaded into an ambulance and drove to Mahesh's village in Mandya district around 1 am on September 2. She tasted initial success when nobody raised any suspicion. But this was short-lived.

When the shroud was taken off in the morning, Mahesh's family was alarmed to find blood clots on his hands, feet, hips and other parts of the body. There were other injury marks, too.

Suspecting foul play, the family called the local police, who rushed to the spot and took the body for post-mortem.

The Mandya police also called their counterparts in Bengaluru, who went over and detained Shilpa for questioning. It wasn't long before she confessed.

According to police, she was anguished by her husband's behaviour. He doubted her fidelity and often quarrelled with her, causing her physical and mental torture.