Bengaluru: Police have recovered the last two bodies of seven members of a family allegedly murdered by a cab driver in Bengaluru. The remains of Shankar and his wife, Nalini, were found in the forest area of Shiradi Ghat on Monday, November 9, bringing the search for all seven victims to an end.
The accused, identified as Indushekhar alias Sekar, 52, allegedly killed seven members of his wife’s family and disposed of their bodies at different locations across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The case came to light after a missing-person complaint was registered, leading police to investigate the family’s disappearance.
Last two bodies recovered from Shiradi Ghat
According to police, the bodies recovered from Shiradi Ghat were identified as Shankar, 44, and his wife Nalini, 29. Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) B S Nemagoud confirmed that the recovery brought the total number of bodies traced in the case to seven.
Police teams searched the forest area after the accused allegedly disclosed the locations where he had disposed of the bodies during interrogation. Forensic Science Laboratory personnel and Scene of Crime Officers inspected the recovery sites and collected evidence.
Post-mortem examinations were conducted, and the bodies were handed over to the family members after the required procedures.
Bodies found at four locations
The seven victims were recovered from four different locations in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The body of seven-year-old Puneeth was found near Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district. The bodies of Indushekhar’s wife, Sunitha, and his mother-in-law, Roopavathi, were recovered from the Yercaud forest area in Salem district of Tamil Nadu.
The remains of Shivakumar, the accused’s brother-in-law, and his wife, Divya, were found near Chamundi Hills in Mysuru. The last two bodies, Shankar and Nalini, were recovered from Shiradi Ghat.
The bodies had allegedly been transported in the accused’s car and dumped at separate locations.
Accused allegedly killed seven family members
Police allege that Indushekhar killed seven members of his wife’s family over a period of around 15 to 20 days. The victims included his wife Sunitha, her mother Roopavathi, her brothers Shivakumar and Shankar, their wives Divya and Nalini, and Shivakumar’s seven-year-old son Puneeth.
The killings reportedly took place at the accused’s residence in Bengaluru’s Rajajinagar area. Investigators suspect that frequent disputes over Sunitha’s continued association with her parental family may have contributed to the murders. Police are also examining other possible motives, including a property dispute.
Missing-person complaint led to investigation
The case came to light after a missing-person complaint was registered at Srirampura police station on November 3. The complaint was filed after family members were unable to contact Nalini.
During the investigation, police arrested Indushekhar on November 5. He allegedly disclosed the locations where the bodies had been dumped, following which police teams carried out searches across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
An 11-year-old boy, the son of Shankar and Nalini, was rescued during the operation. He is considered an important witness in the case.
Forensic investigation to establish sequence of killings
With all seven bodies recovered, investigators are now focusing on forensic examinations to establish the sequence and timing of the murders. Police are also examining whether sedatives were administered to some victims before they were allegedly killed using a grinding stone.
Investigators are examining other evidence, including CCTV footage and material allegedly used to pack and transport the bodies. Police are also seeking to establish the role of other individuals, if any, in the disposal of the bodies.
The recovery of the final two bodies marks the end of the search operation, while the investigation continues to establish the complete circumstances of the alleged murders.