Bengaluru: Cab Driver Kills Wife, Six Members Of Her Family

In a shocking incident, a cab driver allegedly murdered seven members of his wife's family, including a seven-year-old boy, over domestic disputes in the city's Srirampura locality, police sources said on Friday.

The accused, Shekhar, allegedly committed the murders over two days at his house near Bhashyam Circle and dumped the bodies at different locations, including Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district and Charmadi Ghat in coastal Karnataka, they said.

The Rajajinagar police have arrested the accused and are questioning him about when the murders took place.

According to sources, Shekhar had been having frequent disputes with his wife Sunita, whom he married about 20 years ago, over her visits to her parental home.

Despite attempts by family members to reconcile the couple, the differences continued. He allegedly got angry over the support Sunita received from her mother and brothers and decided to eliminate her family.

The killings took place in a residential neighbourhood on 59th Cross, near Bhashyam Circle, within the Rajajinagar police station limits, according to the sources.

Police sources said Shekhar first allegedly murdered Sunita using a grinding stone, wrapped her body in cloth and dumped it near Nandi Hills.

He subsequently switched off her mobile phone and told neighbours that she had gone on a trip to avoid suspicion.

The following day, he allegedly invited his brothers-in-law, Shivakumar and Shankar, to his house for a party and killed them using the grinding stone.

Further, he allegedly murdered their wives, Divya and Nalini, his mother-in-law Rupavati and Shivakumar's seven-year-old son Puneeth, sources said.

The murders came to light after Nalini's mother lodged a missing-person complaint at Srirampura police station on Thursday. During the investigation, police uncovered the alleged multiple murders and arrested Shekhar.

The accused allegedly used chemicals to clean the house and remove bloodstains after the killings.

Police have seized the car allegedly used to transport the bodies and the grinding stone used in the murders.

The body of Puneeth was recovered after an extensive search near Nandi Hills, while efforts were continuing to trace the remaining bodies, police said.

Shekhar reportedly told police that he was distressed over domestic disputes. Police are also examining whether anyone assisted him in carrying out the murders, including the possible role of his daughter.

Police are also investigating how the murders went unnoticed despite the house being situated in a residential locality.