Man on the run after killing estranged wife and mother-in-law

Bangalore Mirror

Bengaluru, 22 Jan 2015: A man is on the run after allegedly killing his wife and mother-in-law in Peenya on Tuesday night. He is said to have bludgeoned the duo to death while other family members including his two children were asleep. 

 

The deceased have been identified as Chandrakala, 24, and her mother Omkaramma, 45, both residents of 10th cross, Shivapura near Nelagedaranahalli on the outskirts of the city. They are natives of Hosadurga in Chitradurga district. The killer, Basavaraj, is absconding. 

 

On preliminary investigation, police said Basavaraj had an argument with his wife and mother in-law which escalated on Tuesday night. After sometime they all had dinner together and went to sleep.

 

Basavaraj and his wife Chandrakala

 

Basavaraj took a grindstone and bludgeoned his wife and mother-in-law to death while rest of the family was fast asleep. Chandrakala’s two children were sleeping next to her but were unaware of what happened until Wednesday morning. Although Chandrakala’s father was sleeping in the same house, he too was oblivious. On Wednesday morning, when Chandrakala’s elder son awoke and tried to wake up his mother, he found her unresponsive. He immediately ran to his aunt’s house close-by and told her about it. Chandrakala’s elder sister, Kavita, rushed to the house to find both her sister and mother dead. 

 

When she and other family members called Basavaraj, he reportedly told them that he killed the duo and disconnected the call. The police said Basavaraj was working as a tractor driver of a brick kiln in Hosadurga. Chandrakala was earlier working in the same factory where they fell in love and got married six years ago. 

 

After a year of marriage, Basavaraj started allegedly harassing Chandrakala for dowry. Three years ago, he turned an alcoholic and was not regular to work. On an earlier occasion, he had attacked Chandrakala upon which a case was registered in a Chitradurga police station. 

 

Two years ago, Chandrakala left Basavaraj and came to Kavita’s house. Kavita works in a garment factory, and Chandrakala too joined the factory. 

 

Basavaraj somehow managed to find their location in Bengaluru and started visiting the city regularly, only to harass his wife again. He told her that he wanted to stay with her and demanded that Chandrakala rent a separate house. A couple of months ago, Chandrakala rented a house, and Basavaraj stayed with her for a month. Recently, Chandrakala’s parents who were unwell came to the city and were staying with Chandrakala, till the incident happened.