Mysuru triple suicide: Accused Ullas Gowda arrested for circulating girl's private photos
Synopsis
Days before her wedding, Rakshita and her parents died by suicide in Mysuru after her private photographs were allegedly circulated by a family acquaintance to her fiancé. The prime accused, Ullas Gowda, fled but was tracked down by a special police team and remanded to judicial custody — only after villagers blocked the bodies from being moved until action was taken.
Key Takeaways
Ullas Gowda arrested by a special Karnataka Police team and remanded to judicial custody in the Mysuru triple suicide case.
Deceased identified as Rakshita and her parents Shivanna and Nagaratna from Halekempayyanahundi village, T.
Rakshita's wedding was scheduled for 24 June ; the family allegedly died by suicide on 23 June after her private photos were reportedly circulated.
Accused allegedly shared images with Rakshita's fiancé to disrupt the marriage; police are probing how he obtained the material.
Villagers staged a protest and blocked post-mortem procedures until the accused was arrested.
Karnataka Police have arrested Ullas Gowda, the prime accused in a case where the alleged circulation of a young woman's private photographs and videos is suspected to have driven her and her parents to die by suicide in Mysuru district on 23 June 2025. The tragedy unfolded at Halekempayyanahundi village in T. Narasipura taluk, days before the woman's scheduled wedding.
The Incident
The three deceased have been identified as Rakshita, whose wedding was fixed for 24 June, and her parents, Shivanna and Nagaratna. According to police, the family members allegedly consumed poison and died by suicide after Rakshita's private photographs and videos were reportedly circulated. The case was registered under the jurisdiction of Varuna Police Station.
Investigators allege that Ullas Gowda, who was known to the family and occasionally visited their residence, circulated Rakshita's private images to her fiancé with the apparent intention of disrupting the upcoming marriage. Police are also probing how the accused obtained the photographs and videos in the first place. The family has alleged that Rakshita was subjected to severe and sustained harassment.
Arrest and Remand
Following the deaths, Ullas Gowda allegedly went absconding, prompting Mysuru Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi to constitute a special team for his apprehension. The team, led by Inspectors Dhananjay and Shivananda Shetty, tracked down and arrested the accused in Mysuru. He was subsequently produced before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody.
Community Outrage
The deaths triggered widespread outrage in the village, with residents staging a protest and demanding immediate action against the accused. Protesters reportedly prevented police from shifting the bodies for post-mortem examinations and other legal formalities until action was taken against Gowda. The swift arrest followed directly from this public pressure and the SP's intervention.
A Troubling Pattern in the Region
This case is the latest in a series of violent and distressing incidents in the district. In a separate earlier case, a 65-year-old garment trader in Mandya district, identified as Prabhakar, allegedly killed his wife Jyothi (55) and son Santosh (28) before ending his own life, reportedly citing mounting debts and business losses. In March 2026, a 27-year-old man identified as Mohan Gowda allegedly killed his mother Asha (55) and sister Varshita (34), and critically injured Varshita's 11-year-old son Mayank, over mounting debt. Police have said investigation into the Rakshita case is ongoing to fully ascertain the circumstances and the accused's role.
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Point of View
Particularly against women on the cusp of marriage in conservative communities. The accused's alleged motive — disrupting a wedding — points to a calculated act, yet the legal framework around image-based abuse in India remains fragmented and under-enforced. The community's decision to physically block police procedures until an arrest was made reflects a deep distrust in institutional responsiveness, which is itself a warning. Karnataka's law enforcement must now ensure that the investigation goes beyond the arrest and addresses how the images were obtained — a question that could reveal deeper patterns of surveillance and coercion.
NationPress
23 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Mysuru triple suicide case?
Three members of a family — Rakshita and her parents Shivanna and Nagaratna — allegedly died by suicide on 23 June at Halekempayyanahundi village in T. Narasipura taluk, Mysuru district. Police suspect the deaths were triggered by the alleged circulation of Rakshita's private photographs and videos, days before her scheduled wedding.
Who is Ullas Gowda and why was he arrested?
Ullas Gowda is the prime accused in the case, identified as an acquaintance of the family who occasionally visited their home. He is alleged to have circulated Rakshita's private photographs and videos to her fiancé to disrupt the marriage. He was arrested by a special police team in Mysuru after he went absconding following the deaths, and has been remanded to judicial custody.
What action did Karnataka Police take?
Mysuru Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi constituted a special team led by Inspectors Dhananjay and Shivananda Shetty to trace the accused. The team arrested Ullas Gowda in Mysuru, and he was produced before a court which remanded him to judicial custody. Investigation is ongoing.
Why did villagers block the post-mortem of the deceased?
Residents of Halekempayyanahundi village staged a protest demanding the immediate arrest of the accused. They reportedly prevented police from shifting the bodies for post-mortem examinations and other legal formalities until action was taken against Ullas Gowda.
What are police investigating next in this case?
Police are probing how Ullas Gowda obtained Rakshita's private photographs and videos, and are working to fully establish the circumstances leading to the three deaths. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.
