Karnataka Horror: Husband Murders Wife, Files Missing Complaint; Arrested After 24 Days

A man in Vijayapura district, allegedly murdered his wife over a debt dispute, buried her body within the house premises, and filed a missing complaint to mislead police. He was arrested 24 days later after sustained interrogation exposed the crime.

In a shocking case from Devarahipparagi in Vijayapura district, police have arrested a 46-year-old man for allegedly murdering his wife, burying her body within the house premises, and later filing a missing person complaint in an attempt to mislead investigators. The crime came to light 24 days after the incident, when sustained police questioning exposed the accused’s fabricated story. Preliminary investigations suggest that frequent disputes over mounting debts led to the brutal killing.

Victim And Accused Identified

The victim has been identified as Sarojini Prabhu Ratnakar (44), a resident of Devarahipparagi. Her husband, Prabhu Ratnakar (46), a contractor by profession, has been arrested in connection with the murder.

According to police, Prabhu had borrowed money from multiple sources and was under severe financial strain. He had allegedly issued cheques in his wife’s name to creditors. A cheque bounce case had also been registered against Sarojini in a court in Yadgir district. This reportedly led to frequent arguments between the couple, as Sarojini had been pressuring him to repay the debts.

Dispute Turned Fatal

Police said that on the night of January 24, an argument broke out between the couple over the same issue. In a fit of rage, Prabhu allegedly assaulted his wife by striking her on the head with a chilli-pounding pestle. She succumbed to her injuries due to excessive bleeding.

After committing the crime, the accused reportedly dug a pit within the house premises and buried the body in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Missing Complaint Filed To Mislead Police

On February 2, Prabhu approached the Devarahipparagi Police Station and lodged a complaint stating that his wife had stepped out to purchase groceries and had not returned. He claimed to have searched for her at various places and contacted relatives, but to no avail.

Confession During Investigation

During the course of the investigation, police grew suspicious of Prabhu’s statements. After sustained interrogation, he reportedly confessed to the murder.

The police subsequently exhumed the buried body in the presence of officials and conducted a post-mortem examination. The body was later handed over to the family.

A case of murder has been registered, and further investigation is underway.