BENGALURU: In a shocking incident, a 37-year-old man set his wife ablaze after allegedly beating her to death at their residence in Surajakanahalli Village in Anekal Town late Tuesday. The police have launched a manhunt to nab the accused, identified as Gundappa, who is on the run. The incident reportedly took place around 11.30 pm.
The deceased, identified as Renuka, 34, had married Gundappa around 13 years ago and the couple had three children, two daughters and a son.
Initially the police had on Tuesday night registered as a case of unnatural death, but later upgraded it to murder based on statements made by one of Renuka’s children, who witnessed the gory incident.
B. Ramesh, Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru Rural told Deccan Chronicle, “Gundappa, who works as a mason, used to frequently quarrel with his wife. On Tuesday night too Gundappa got into a verbal spat with Renuka and in a fit of rage beat her to death. He, however, assumed that Renuka was pretending to be unconscious. Gunadappa then grabbed kerosene can lying in the kitchen and poured it on Renuka. He set her ablaze in front of his children.”
Hearing loud screams of the children, the neighbours rushed for their aide and tried to douse the fire. They soon informed the police who then rushed to the spot and registered a case of unnatural death. However, during preliminary investigation one of Renuka’s daughters told the police that her father had killed her mother and later set fire on the body, the case was upgraded to murder, police added. Anekal Town police have begun investigation.
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