BENGALURU: A US-returned software professional has been arrested for allegedly murdering his parents at their villa in east Bengaluru after repeated disputes over financial support for his startup venture.
The victims have been identified as Naveen Chandra Bhat (60), a retired Navy captain, and his wife Shyamala Bhat (55), a dentist. The accused is their son, Rohan Chandra Bhat (33).
According to preliminary investigations, the incident took place around 8 am on Wednesday at the family’s villa in Vignan Nagar near HAL township. Police said Rohan allegedly stabbed his parents repeatedly following a heated argument over funding for his business plans.
Hearing the disturbance, neighbours rushed to the house and shifted the critically injured couple to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead. A neighbour and doctor, Madhavi Nair, later filed a complaint with the HAL police.
Senior police officials said Rohan had been working as a software engineer in the US and returned to Bengaluru three years ago. Details regarding his overseas employment and the circumstances of his return are still being verified.
Investigators revealed that Rohan had been working independently on projects and was keen to scale them up. He reportedly suffered from anxiety and faced difficulties in raising capital. As a result, he began pressuring his parents for financial support, which they were unable to provide.
“This led to frequent quarrels between them. Due to repeated disputes, he had shifted to a rented house in Varthur some time ago,” a police officer said.
Police added that Rohan returned to his parents’ villa on Monday night and again demanded money. “The argument continued and escalated by Wednesday morning, eventually turning violent,” the officer said.
Rohan has been taken into custody and produced before a court. Police said he is yet to be formally questioned.
His sister, who lives in the US, has been informed and is expected to arrive in Bengaluru soon. The bodies have been shifted for post-mortem examination, which will be conducted after her arrival. Investigations into the case are ongoing.
