Bengaluru: Husband kills woman in drunken rage; police halt cremation

Bengaluru: A man allegedly killed his wife in a drunken state in Bengaluru Rural district, police officials said on Wednesday.

The Doddaballapur Rural police prevented the deceased Radhamma’s family from cremating her after receiving a tip-off. Subsequently, they determined that the 45-year-old woman was murdered by her husband Laxmaiah, who is in his 50s.

On the night of February 23, the intoxicated suspect attacked Radhamma. He grabbed her hair, smashed her head against the wall, and struck her multiple times with an electric heating coil, police officials said. As the woman lay unconscious, the suspect fled.

The following day, her family and relatives decided to cremate her, fearing negative repercussions in Neraleghatta village, where they live, before the police control room was alerted.

A Hoysala patrolling team halted the cremation, and subsequently, a team led by Doddaballapura Rural Police Inspector Sadiq Pasha confirmed Radhamma's murder.

Her husband, who had fled, was arrested.

"The deceased was frequently assaulted by the suspect, who was an alcoholic,” a police officer stated. “A few months ago, it was learned that the suspect had received approximately Rs 5 lakh from the sale of a plot of land and squandered the money on alcohol.”

While one of the couple’s sons died some time ago due to health complications, the other, who is 23 and mute, works in KR Puram in a data entry position, the police said.

A murder case has been registered, and further investigation is ongoing.