50-year-old homemaker found dead in Bengaluru's Cottonpet; gold, cash missing

Bengaluru: A 50-year-old woman was found dead at her house in Cottonpet, western Bengaluru, on Monday, police officials said.

The police suspect that P Latha, a homemaker and resident of Durga Road, was murdered. A preliminary probe revealed that 150 grams of gold ornaments, Rs 2 lakh in cash, and a mobile phone were missing from the scene of the crime.

"A case has been registered under BNS Section 103 related to murder,” a senior police officer said. “Further probe has been initiated.”

Police sources said that Latha’s husband, Prakash, a merchant who owns an apparel store in Upparpet, found her dead near the kitchen when he returned home around 2 pm. He then alerted the police.

The jurisdictional Cottonpet police, along with crime scene officers and forensic analysts, reached the spot.

"Prima facie, it appears that the victim was smothered to death,” a police investigator said. "A detailed autopsy report is awaited. Since the main door was intact, we suspect someone known to the victim committed the crime. Interestingly, the suspect did not take the victim’s gold earrings. Another possibility being examined is that the woman may have resisted, prompting the attack.”

Based on preliminary questioning, the police found that the couple were originally from Bidar and had been living in the city for over 10 years. They have a daughter, employed in a private firm, and a son studying in high school.