BENGALURU: A city-based surgeon has been arrested for allegedly murdering his newlywed wife, a dermatologist, by repeatedly administering excessive doses of anaesthesia under the guise of medical treatment.
Police arrested Dr. Mahendra Reddy G.S. (31), a surgical resident at the Institute of Gastroenterology Sciences and Organ Transplant (IGOT), on Tuesday — months after his wife Dr. Kritika M. Reddy (28) died under mysterious circumstances in April. The arrest followed a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report confirming the presence of Propofol, a potent intravenous anaesthetic, in the victim’s viscera.
Announcing the arrest, City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said, “Soon after Kritika’s death, a case of unnatural death was registered. Her father has now filed a fresh complaint based on the FSL report, alleging that Mahendra killed her by administering an anaesthetic overdose.”
According to police, Mahendra claimed that Kritika had fallen unconscious at their Munnekolal residence in Whitefield on April 24, after which he rushed her to Cauvery Hospital in Marathahalli, where she was declared brought dead. Despite his insistence to avoid an autopsy, authorities proceeded with it as per protocol.
Additional Commissioner of Police (East Division) Ramesh Banoth said, “Both the husband and father initially objected to the post-mortem, but it was mandatory since a death memo had been issued. Our forensic team also collected medical materials, including syringes and IV liquids, from the residence.”
The autopsy report initially left the cause of death blank, pending FSL confirmation. Once the toxicology report revealed traces of Propofol, the case was upgraded from unnatural death to murder. Police later detained Mahendra in Manipal (Udupi district), where he was attending a conference.
During questioning, the accused maintained that he was treating his wife for gastrointestinal issues, but investigators noted that he provided no valid reason for the overdose.
Police believe domestic discord and financial disputes may have triggered the crime. Sources said Mahendra became frustrated after learning of Kritika’s ongoing health problems following their March 2024 marriage, and he allegedly blamed her family for concealing them.
In his complaint, Kritika’s father K. Muni Reddy alleged that Mahendra often demanded money and had asked him to fund a private hospital in Kritika’s name. “When I refused, he started neglecting my daughter and grew close to another woman,” the complaint read.
He further stated that Mahendra continued treating Kritika with intravenous medications at home and objected to the autopsy after her death. “My elder daughter Nikita, also a doctor, insisted on the post-mortem. The FSL report now proves the presence of anaesthesia in Kritika’s body. I want strict legal action against Mahendra for murdering my daughter,” he said.
Police have booked Dr. Mahendra Reddy under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. Investigations are ongoing to determine how the anaesthetic drugs were procured and whether anyone else was involved.
