K’taka man bludgeons live-in partner to death with gas cylinder over suspected affair

A court has remanded him to judicial custody while the woman’s body has been handed over to her relatives.

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In an extremely gruesome incident which has come to light from Karnataka, a 30-year-old man killed his 26-year-old live-in partner in front of the latter’s young child.

According to reports Venkatagiriyappa, a native of Mulabagal in Kolar district was residing in KR Puram in Bengaluru along with his lover Shashikala and her 3-year-old daughter from a previous marriage.

Shashikala’s husband had died eight years back and she and Venkatagiriyappa had been staying in KR Puram for the past eight months, posing as a married couple. It was reported that Venkatagiriyappa himself is married and has children, but is estranged from his family.

On Wednesday night, Venkatagiriyappa first assaulted Shashikala after suspecting that she was having an affair. Neighbours of the couple tried to intervene and calm him down. However, on Saturday night at around 2am, as the child was sleeping, he assaulted Shashikala again.

The noise attracted the attention of neighbours who tried once again to help, however as the house was locked from inside, they could not get in. According to reports, the neighbours also saw Venkatagiriyappa attempt to strangle Shashikala.

"Venkatagiriyappa rushed to the kitchen and Shashikala tried to walk towards the main door to open it. But before she could reach the door, he brought the LPG cylinder from the kitchen and hit her with it. She fell on the floor and he smashed her head with the cylinder,” said one police official to TOI.

At around 3am, the landlord Rayappa and appalled neighbours informed the KR Puram police who subsequently came and arrested Venkatagiriyappa. It was only after questioning him that he revealed that he and Shashikala were not married.

A court has remanded him to judicial custody while Shashikala’s body has been handed over to her relatives.