Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Jul 4: Shantha Kumar (65), former assistant registrar of Bangalore University, hanged himself, after mistakenly construing that he had killed his wife. The incident occurred at the residence of the couple in Basaveshwaranagar in the city, which came to light on Sunday July 3.

Shantha Kumar’s wife, Pratima (55) was to travel to USA to visit her pregnant daughter there, on Sunday midnight. She had prepared baggage including food and other items her pregnant daughter would require.

After an argument arose between the couple, Kumar allegedly slapped his wife and banged her head against the wall. After observing that blood stains had appeared at the spot where her head had been banged, and that his wife had fallen unconscious, he probably thought she had died. He ended his life by hanging himself at his home thereafter, the policemen stated.

Reportedly, Shantha Kumar was addicted to gambling, and this had resulted in lot of heartburn in the family. His wife had also sought legal separation on this ground.

Kaveri, working as an assistant to Pratima in the latter’s beauty parlour, visited the residence of Pratima on Sunday morning at around 8.30 am. After the couple failed to open the door even after knocking, she alerted Sharath, son of Pratima, who lived in the first floor of the building. Sharath came down, and both broke open the door after seeing through the window that Shantha Kumar’s body was hanging from a ceiling fan. They also called the police and shifted Pratima to a hospital, where she is recovering.

Sharath told the police that his father was heavily indebted because of his addiction to horse races, and that his mother had been trying hard to maintain the family and repay the housing loan raised on the building they live in.