BENGALURU: The autopsy of an exhumed body of a 50-year-old daily wage worker in Karnataka has revealed that he was smothered to death, contradicting his wife’s claim that he had died of a heart attack. Police have arrested the victim’s wife, P Asha (46), and her alleged lover Chandrappa (48) for the murder of K Paramesh in Tumakuru district.
According to police, Asha, who worked as housekeeping staff, was in a relationship with Chandrappa, a cook. When Paramesh discovered the affair, the two allegedly decided to eliminate him.
Investigators said Paramesh, who reportedly consumed alcohol regularly, would drink a few pegs before going to sleep every night. On the night of January 29, when he was asleep at his home in Hebbur, Asha and Chandrappa allegedly smothered him to death.
Initially, Asha claimed that Paramesh had died of a heart attack and the body was buried without suspicion.
However, Paramesh’s elder sister, K Nagamma, filed a police complaint on March 4 after suspecting foul play.
“Seeing Asha unaffected by Paramesh’s death and noticing her closeness with Chandrappa, Nagamma questioned her about the circumstances of Paramesh’s death. When Asha gave contradictory responses, Nagamma approached the police,” an investigating officer said.
Following the complaint, police exhumed Paramesh’s body for an autopsy, which confirmed death by smothering. Authorities subsequently arrested Asha and Chandrappa and booked them for murder. Further investigation into the case is ongoing.
