Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Nov 12: The investigation into the tragic murder-suicide case at Pakshikere has been intensified by the police. They have confiscated the mobile phones of Karthik Bhat and his wife Priyanka, along with two knives found in the couple’s two-bedroom apartment.
On Monday, the police arrested Shyamala, Karthik’s mother, and Kanmani, his elder sister, following a complaint lodged by Savithri, Priyanka's mother and Karthik’s mother-in-law. Savithri hails from Purale village in Shivamogga. The apartment where Karthik, his wife Priyanka, and their son Hriday lived is registered in the name of Kanmani’s husband. According to Savithri's complaint, Kanmani and Shyamala had been pressuring Karthik to vacate the flat for the past two years.
The accused, Shyamala and Kanmani, were presented at the Moodbidri court on Monday. The judge ordered them into judicial custody. However, both women reportedly felt dizzy and unwell while being taken to prison and were subsequently admitted to a private hospital in Moodbidri.
Meanwhile, police searched the apartment on Monday, seizing various items for further investigation. They have also requested Karthik’s family to vacate the flat for two to three days to facilitate a thorough inspection.
A disturbing discovery was made during the investigation: black ink had been smeared on a family photograph of Karthik, his wife Priyanka, and their son Hriday, indicating deep-seated animosity within the family. It remains unclear who defaced the photo, which was displayed in the living room.
The FIR notes that Karthik faced continuous harassment from his mother, who allegedly refused to interact with her grandson. According to the police, Karthik documented in his diary that he was making monthly loan payments for the apartment, despite his mother publicly mocking him, claiming the property did not belong to him.
CCTV footage showed Karthik walking along the railway track with his hand wrapped in a cloth after parking his scooter near Kallapu temple. It is suspected that he sustained a hand injury while stabbing his wife and son with a glass object.