BANGALORE: A 22-year-old, 7-month pregnant woman was found murdered in her Vinayakanagar residence in Soladevanahalli, North Bangalore on Tuesday. Investigation revealed her husband and his father allegedly smothered her to death as she belonged to a different caste.

Based on her father's complaint, Soladevanahalli police on Tuesday evening detained her husband and father-in-law.

Smitha R Madan Kumar, 22, married Madan Kumar in 2011 after they fell in love in college. Smitha completed her graduation and apart from giving tuitions to primary school children, also worked as a beautician.

The incident came to light when Smitha's students entered the house around 11am on Tuesday and found her dead body. The assailants had tied her hands and legs and used a cloth or rope to strangle her, police said.

Smitha's father Rudrappa , who also stays in the same area, told police that Madan's parents had opposed the marriage as they belonged to different castes. "Madan stayed in the outhouse and his parents never spoke to my daughter. Madan's father Shivanna , a retired assistant sub-inspector in the BDA, would abuse my daughter," he said. It's possible that Madan succumbed to family pressure over the caste issue, he added.

Madan's sister's got married last month and Shivanna had strictly warned Smitha not to attend the event. "Smitha was depressed as her in-laws would often insult her by telling her she belonged to a lower caste," he added.

DCP-North Sandeep Patil told TOI they have detained the alleged murderers. "Madan Kumar works in a spare part manufacturing unit in Peenya. Following Rudrappa's police complaint, we detained Madan and Shivanna. It's clearly murder as we found strangulation marks on her neck," he said.

