Bengaluru police have arrested advocate P Priyanka, who is accused of being involved in the death of her six-year-old daughter, Vennela, along with her live-in partner. The arrest came after an intensive seven-day search operation that ended in Sakaleshpur on Thursday morning.
Police traced Priyanka to a farmhouse near Sakaleshpur, around 220 km from Bengaluru, and detained her at about 7.30 am. She was later produced before a court, which remanded her to five days of police custody for further questioning.
Arrest after week-long search
Investigators said Priyanka had been absconding since June 4 after her estranged husband, Praveen, lodged a criminal complaint against her and her partner, Mohan M G, at Kadugodi Police Station.
According to police, she initially stayed at a secluded resort on the outskirts of Sakaleshpur before moving to a farmhouse owned by a mutual acquaintance.
Authorities stated that she switched off her mobile phone and avoided using digital payment methods in an attempt to evade detection.
Child’s death under investigation
The case relates to the death of six-year-old Vennela, who was brought dead to a private hospital in Kadugodi on March 24.
Initially, Priyanka reportedly told authorities that the child may have suffocated after being left asleep inside a vehicle. However, the investigation took a dramatic turn after Mohan, who was arrested earlier, allegedly confessed to assaulting the child following an argument inside the vehicle.
Police are examining the roles of both accused and gathering further evidence to establish the sequence of events leading to the child’s death.
Probe continues
Investigators are now questioning Priyanka regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident and her actions after the case was registered. Further arrests and forensic findings are expected to play a crucial role in the ongoing investigation.