Bengaluru cab driver arrested for killing 7 of wife's family, cites 20 years of harassment
Synopsis
A Bengaluru cab driver allegedly poisoned seven of his wife's relatives with sleeping tablets, killed them with a grinding stone, and transported the bodies across multiple locations — all while crafting a fake 'family trip' message to buy time. The case, involving victims ranging from a child to elderly relatives, has stunned Karnataka and raised serious questions about whether domestic grievance or a property dispute was the real motive.
Key Takeaways
Indushekar , a cab driver in Bengaluru , was arrested by Rajajinagar police for allegedly killing seven members of his wife's family over approximately 15 days .
Victims include his wife Suneeta , brothers-in-law Shivakumar and Shankar , their spouses and a child Puneeth , and mother-in-law Roopavathi .
The accused allegedly lured the victims with a meal, mixed sleeping tablets in food, then attacked them with a grinding stone.
Bodies were allegedly transported in the accused's car and dumped at different locations; the body of Puneeth was recovered near Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district .
Indushekar reportedly told police he endured 20 years of mental harassment, a claim victims' family members have strongly rejected, alleging a possible property dispute motive.
A special police team has been formed to trace remaining bodies; investigation is ongoing.
A cab driver identified as Indushekar has been arrested by the Rajajinagar police in Bengaluru for allegedly murdering seven members of his wife's family over a span of approximately 15 days, in one of the most shocking crime cases to emerge from Karnataka in recent years. During interrogation, Indushekar reportedly claimed he acted after nearly 20 years of mental harassment by his wife and her relatives.
What the Accused Told Police
According to police sources, Indushekar allegedly narrated a prolonged pattern of domestic conflict during questioning, claiming his wife treated him as a 'useless man' and that her family consistently sided against him. He reportedly described multiple incidents of alleged mental harassment stretching across two decades.
Investigators have noted that his statements during interrogation were contradictory at points, which prompted a detailed search of his residence. Police subsequently found clues linked to the killings at his rented home near Bhashyam Circle, where he had been living for the past eight years.
The Seven Victims
The deceased have been identified as the accused's wife Suneeta; brothers-in-law Shivakumar and Shankar; Shivakumar's wife Divya and their son Puneeth; Shankar's wife Nalini; and the accused's mother-in-law Roopavathi. The murders allegedly took place over approximately 15 days.
How the Crime Allegedly Unfolded
According to the police investigation, Indushekar allegedly lured the family members to his rented house on the pretext of a meal featuring mutton dishes. He allegedly mixed sleeping tablets into the food and, after the victims became unconscious, attacked them using a grinding stone and other means.
The accused then allegedly transported the bodies in his car, disposing of them at multiple locations. The body of Puneeth was recovered near Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district after police took Indushekar to the area during a search operation. Efforts are continuing to trace the bodies of the remaining victims. Police have also seized the car allegedly used to transport the bodies.
How the Case Came to Light
The crime came to light after relatives of the victims grew suspicious about their prolonged absence. A message had been allegedly sent to family members stating that the family had gone on a three-day trip to the Hogenakkal area, timed around the Dasara festival period to avoid raising immediate suspicion.
Relatives waited until last Thursday and repeatedly tried to contact the family, but calls went unanswered. When they visited Indushekar's house, they found it locked. Notably, the accused's daughter had also allegedly called other relatives to her home, claiming her mother was away on a trip. Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the deceptive messages.
Family Disputes the Accused's Claims
Victims' family members have firmly rejected the accused's version of events and raised pointed questions about the killing of multiple relatives beyond just his wife. 'If he was unhappy with his wife, why did he want to kill the others?' the family said, according to reports. They alleged that the murders could have been motivated by a property dispute rather than domestic grievance alone.
A special police team has been constituted to trace the remaining bodies and gather evidence. Senior police officers are supervising the investigation, and further inquiry is underway.
Point of View
But it does not begin to explain the methodical killing of seven people — including a child — over a fortnight, complete with a fake alibi message engineered during a festival period. The family's counter-allegation of a property motive deserves equal investigative weight; law enforcement must resist letting a self-serving interrogation statement set the terms of the case. What is undeniable is the premeditation: the sleeping tablets, the grinding stone, the car used for body disposal, and the deceptive messages point to planning, not a sudden crime of passion. Karnataka police need to publicly account for how the bodies remained undiscovered across multiple locations for so long.
NationPress
6 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Indushekar and what is he accused of?
Indushekar is a cab driver from Bengaluru, arrested by Rajajinagar police for allegedly murdering seven members of his wife's family over a period of approximately 15 days. He allegedly lured the victims to his house, drugged them with sleeping tablets, killed them, and disposed of the bodies at different locations.
Who are the seven victims in the Bengaluru family murder case?
The deceased are the accused's wife Suneeta, brothers-in-law Shivakumar and Shankar, Shivakumar's wife Divya and their son Puneeth, Shankar's wife Nalini, and the mother-in-law Roopavathi. The victims span three generations of the same family.
Why did the accused claim he committed the killings?
During interrogation, Indushekar allegedly told police that he had endured nearly 20 years of mental harassment from his wife, who reportedly called him a 'useless man', and that her family always sided against him. His claims have been flatly rejected by the victims' relatives, who allege a property dispute may have been the real motive.
How did investigators discover the crime?
Relatives grew suspicious after the entire family was unreachable for an extended period following a message claiming they had gone on a trip to Hogenakkal during Dasara. When they visited Indushekar's home and found it locked, they alerted police. Contradictory statements by the accused during questioning led investigators to search his residence, where they found key clues.
What is the current status of the investigation?
One body — that of Puneeth — has been recovered near Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district. Police have seized the car allegedly used to transport the bodies and formed a special team to trace the remaining victims. Senior officers are supervising the investigation, which is ongoing.
