Bengaluru woman murder: Husband ‘main suspect’, has attempted suicide, say police

The husband of a 32-year-old woman, whose body was found stuffed inside a suitcase in the city, seems to be the main suspect in the case and was now undergoing treatment in Pune following an alleged suicide attempt, police said on Friday.

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The body of Gauri Khedekar was found on Thursday with severe injury marks. She is a native of Maharashtra. Her husband, Rakesh Rajendera Khedekar, fled to Pune after the crime, where he allegedly attempted suicide by consuming poison, police said.

He has been detained in connection with the murder and is being treated at a hospital in Pune.

Addressing a press conference, City Police Commissioner B Dayananda said the police have registered a case in this regard and it is seen that the woman’s husband only is the main suspect. He had flown out of the city earlier.

“He was found admitted to a hospital in Pune. Apparently, he had consumed poison in a suicide attempt. He is in the hospital, and our team has already contacted Pune police,” he said.

According to him, a team of Bengaluru Police has travelled to Pune, and once the suspect is discharged from the hospital, he will be brought to Bengaluru for interrogation.

Marital dispute is suspected to be the reason behind the murder.

“Relatives of the deceased have arrived in Bengaluru, and further details will be sought from them,” the commissioner added.

The case came to light when the house owner alerted the police control room at around 5.30 pm on Thursday.

The couple, who moved to Bengaluru last month, lived in a flat at Doddakammanahalli village under Hulimayu police station limits. The victim’s body was found dumped in the suitcase inside the bathroom of the flat. There were stab injuries on her body.

The exact motive behind the murder will be ascertained after the accused is brought in for questioning, a senior police official said.

Responding to reports that the husband had informed his wife’s parents about the killing, the officer said, “The matter is under investigation, and these details need to be verified.”

The woman held a Bachelor of Mass Media degree, and her husband worked as a project manager in an IT firm and was working from home, police said.

Forensic experts visited the spot and collected samples, police said.