BENGALURU: In a shocking case that has sent shockwaves through the city, a 26-year-old former marketing executive has been arrested for the brutal murder of his girlfriend’s seven-year-old daughter, allegedly because the child was becoming a “disturbance” to his private time with her mother.
Accused arrested near Tumakuru Road
The accused, Darshan Kumar Yadav, was arrested on Monday evening near Tumakuru Road by Kumbalagudu Police after being on the run for several days.
The victim, Siri S, was a Class 2 student at a government school in Ramasandra village near Kengeri, and the daughter of Shilpa S K, a business development officer at a private firm.
Relationship turned violent over child’s presence
According to investigators, Darshan, who previously worked for a paints company, had been in a relationship with Shilpa for some time. Shilpa, separated from her husband Balaji, lived with her daughter Siri and a foster mother.
However, after the foster mother’s death in August, tensions escalated between Shilpa and Darshan. He allegedly began pressuring her to admit Siri to a hostel, claiming the child interfered with their intimacy. When Shilpa refused, Darshan reportedly began to assault her and issued threats to kill both her and the child.
Murder committed after violent argument
Police said that on October 23, Darshan stayed overnight at Shilpa’s residence. The following day, after Shilpa left for work, he took Siri to his house. Later that evening, he called Shilpa, demanding she return immediately.
When Shilpa heard her daughter crying over the phone, she rushed home around 6.30 pm. Upon arrival, she was attacked and locked in a room by Darshan. She managed to break free, only to discover Siri lying lifeless in a pool of blood.
Child beaten and smothered to death
Investigations revealed that Darshan had repeatedly slammed Siri’s head against the floor before smothering her to death. Postmortem reports confirmed severe head trauma and asphyxiation.
Kumbalagudu Police said Darshan has confessed to the crime during interrogation. He also claimed that he was married to Shilpa, though she has stated in her complaint that he was only her boyfriend.
Pattern of abusive behaviour
According to police, Darshan had a history of befriending multiple women on Instagram and developing abusive relationships with them. Investigators are now examining his digital trail to determine whether he has a record of prior violent behaviour.
Case registered, investigation continues
A case of murder under Section 302 of the IPC has been registered at the Kumbalagudu Police Station. Senior officials said Darshan will be produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.
Police have also arranged counselling and support for Shilpa, who remains in a state of shock following the death of her daughter.