Woman arrested in KR Pura triple murder after family dispute escalates

A planned murder of a mother escalated into a triple homicide of three family members on Monday at Sai Green Apartment in Dhamnika Layout, Seegehalli, KR Pura, Bengaluru. Local police have arrested 24-year-old Shwetha, while her partner Kenneth remains on the run following the deaths of Shwetha's mother Muthulakshmi, 48, her father Somasundar, 52, and her sister Supriya, 19.

According to investigators, Shwetha and Kenneth had allegedly conspired to kill only Muthulakshmi. However, the unexpected arrival of Somasundar and Supriya at the flat before the suspects could dispose of the body led to the triple murder.

The bodies of Muthulakshmi and Supriya were discovered with multiple stab injuries inside the apartment. Somasundar managed to escape the flat during the attack but died from his injuries near the apartment complex's main gate a few minutes later. Before his death, Somasundar reportedly told bystanders that Kenneth had also attacked and stabbed him.

The police produced Shwetha before the 47th ACMM Court on Wednesday, which remanded her to seven days in police custody. Although Shwetha claimed to investigators that she was solely responsible for the killings and that Kenneth only helped clean the apartment, police remain skeptical. Investigators noted that the three bodies suffered a combined total of 30 stab wounds, suggesting the attack was not a one-person job.

The investigation revealed that the family had been involved in frequent disputes over property division. Shwetha and Kenneth had accumulated debts of nearly Rs 30 lakh, and Shwetha had allegedly used her parents' documents to secure loans. Tension escalated after loan repayment notices were sent to her parents' home.

Police sources stated that Muthulakshmi and Supriya visited the couple's apartment on Sunday. Supriya returned home that evening, but Muthulakshmi stayed behind. An argument broke out between Shwetha and her mother that night regarding her relationship with Kenneth. Shwetha confessed to killing her mother because she felt Muthulakshmi controlled every aspect of her life.

The next day, Somasundar and Supriya returned to the flat to search for Muthulakshmi. When they questioned Shwetha, she allegedly attacked them with a knife, which has since been recovered by the police.

Following the murders, the suspects allegedly splashed chilli powder mixed with hot water inside the flat to disrupt forensic examinations. They then escaped to the building's terrace and fled on a scooter. When the vehicle broke down, the two separated. Shwetha was later traced and arrested near a bus stand in Puducherry.

During the ongoing investigation, police discovered that Kenneth had retained a one-bedroom apartment in Gururaj Layout near HAL. CCTV footage captured Shwetha and Kenneth visiting this apartment with newly purchased suitcases after Muthulakshmi's death, leading police to suspect they planned to temporarily store her body there.

Additionally, police searched a third residence linked to Kenneth in Doddanekkundi, located about 10 to 12 kilometres from the crime scene. There, they recovered a plastic drum, a cutter, and a hammer, which investigators believe may have been procured to transport or dispose of the body. Six special police teams have been deployed across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry to locate Kenneth.