Karnataka triple death: Mandya businessman kills wife, son, dies by suicide; note cites Shakti scheme
Synopsis
A Mandya cloth trader's death note has put Karnataka's flagship Shakti free travel scheme in an uncomfortable spotlight. Prabhakar, 65, allegedly killed his wife and son before dying by suicide, with his note blaming improved bus connectivity for drawing customers away to Mysuru and Bengaluru — layered on top of ₹7 lakh in debt and a business already in retreat.
Key Takeaways
Prabhakar , 65, a cloth businessman in Mandya, Karnataka , allegedly killed his wife Jyothi , 55, and son Santhosh , 30, before dying by suicide on 9 June 2025 .
A death note recovered by police cited the Shakti free travel scheme for women , claiming it had reduced local textile sales by enabling customers to shop in Mysuru and Bengaluru .
The note also mentioned home loan EMIs, loans from L&T Finance , and total borrowings of approximately ₹7 lakh from finance companies.
Santhosh's wife Meghana , who was in the house, was not harmed; she told police she was unaware of the incident.
The Mandya East Police are investigating; SP Shobha Rani V.J. confirmed the death note's recovery and its contents.
A 65-year-old cloth businessman, Prabhakar, allegedly killed his wife and son before dying by suicide in Mandya district, Karnataka, with a recovered death note reportedly citing the state government's Shakti free travel scheme for women, mounting loan repayment pressure, and a prolonged decline in his textile business. The incident came to light on Tuesday, 9 June, when police reached the family's home at around 6 am IST.
What Happened
According to police, Prabhakar allegedly suffocated his wife, 55-year-old Jyothi, using his dhoti before attacking their son, 30-year-old Santhosh, who had been married for approximately a month and a half. Santhosh reportedly attempted to intervene but was also killed. Prabhakar is suspected to have subsequently died by suicide at his shop.
Meghana, Santhosh's wife, told police that she and her husband had gone to sleep together on Monday night and she was unaware of the incident as it unfolded. Police confirmed she was not harmed.
What the Death Note Said
Mandya Superintendent of Police Shobha Rani V.J. said officers recovered a death note at the scene. 'We were informed that Prabhakar had killed his wife and son and later died by suicide at his shop. We inspected the site and recovered a death note,' she said.
The note, according to SP Shobha Rani, cited severe financial stress — specifically home loan EMIs, business losses, and repayment pressure on loans taken from L&T Finance. 'It refers to loans taken from L&T Finance and repayment pressure. It also mentions a decline in cloth business,' she added.
On the note's reference to the Shakti scheme, SP Shobha Rani said: 'He has also written that due to bus facilities, his business had undergone a decline.' Police sources said the note specifically named the Shakti free travel scheme, claiming it had enabled customers to travel more easily to Mysuru and Bengaluru for purchases, reducing footfall at local textile shops.
Financial Stress and Business Decline
Investigators said Prabhakar had reportedly borrowed around ₹7 lakh from finance companies, in addition to informal loans. The family had previously scaled down their textile business from a larger shop to a smaller outlet, dealing primarily in women's clothing.
The death note also expressed concern over mounting debt and pressure from finance companies, according to police sources. This comes amid a broader pattern of small and mid-sized textile traders in Tier-2 Karnataka towns reporting reduced local sales as improved connectivity draws shoppers to larger retail centres.
Investigation Under Way
The Mandya East Police are investigating the case. Authorities have not yet indicated whether any additional persons are being questioned. The triple death has drawn attention to the intersection of rural business distress, household debt, and the unintended economic consequences of welfare schemes — a debate that is likely to intensify in the days ahead.
Point of View
Unverified attribution from a man under extreme financial duress — and should not be read as evidence that the policy caused these deaths. Yet it surfaces a real and underreported tension: welfare schemes that expand mobility for one group can restructure local commerce in ways that hurt small traders who lack the capital to adapt. Karnataka's government has not addressed the economic displacement angle of Shakti, and this incident may force that conversation. The deeper story here is household debt among informal textile traders — a segment with no safety net and no formal grievance mechanism.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Mandya triple death case?
Cloth businessman Prabhakar, 65, allegedly killed his wife Jyothi and son Santhosh before dying by suicide at his shop in Mandya, Karnataka, on 9 June 2025. Police recovered a death note citing financial stress and a decline in his textile business.
What did the death note say about the Shakti scheme?
According to police, the note claimed that the Shakti free travel scheme for women had hurt Prabhakar's cloth business by enabling customers to travel to Mysuru and Bengaluru for purchases, reducing local sales. SP Shobha Rani V.J. confirmed this reference, saying he had written that 'due to bus facilities, his business had undergone a decline.'
How much debt did Prabhakar reportedly have?
Investigators said Prabhakar had reportedly borrowed around ₹7 lakh from finance companies, including L&T Finance, in addition to informal loans. The death note also cited home loan EMIs as a source of repayment pressure.
Who survived the incident?
Meghana, the wife of the deceased Santhosh, was in the house but was not harmed. She told police she had gone to sleep with her husband on Monday night and was unaware of the incident.
Which police station is handling the investigation?
The Mandya East Police are investigating the case. Mandya Superintendent of Police Shobha Rani V.J. is overseeing the inquiry and confirmed the recovery of the death note.
