A Bengaluru woman, Bhuvaneshwari, was shot dead by her estranged husband on a busy road days after sending him a divorce notice. Police say he first hired a hitman and paid Rs 1.5 lakh, but when the plan failed, he carried out the murder himself.
Karnataka's capital was shaken last month when a woman was shot dead in the open on a busy road in west Bengaluru. The victim, Bhuvaneshwari, was killed in the early evening as people were returning home from work. What first appeared to be a sudden crime has now turned into a planned murder, police say, with new details coming out during the investigation.
Police have revealed that Bhuvaneshwari's estranged husband, Balamurugan, had first planned to hire a hitman to kill her. When the plan failed, he carried out the murder himself.
About the victim
Bhuvaneshwari was 39 years old and worked as an assistant manager at Union Bank of India. She was posted at the Basaveshwaranagar branch and lived in Rajajinagar with her two children. Her son is 12 years old and her daughter is eight.
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She was known among neighbours and colleagues as a regular working professional who was focused on her children and career.
What happened on the day of the murder
The murder took place on Tuesday, December 24, around 6.30 pm. Bhuvaneshwari was walking back home from work on 1st Main Road in the Rajajinagar Industrial Area.
Police said her husband followed her and fired four rounds at close range. She suffered gunshot wounds to her head and hands. People nearby panicked and ran for cover after hearing the gunshots.
A Hoysala police patrol and passers-by rushed her to a private hospital. Doctors declared her brought dead.
Minutes later, Balamurugan walked into the Magadi Road Police Station, confessed to the crime, and surrendered.
Hearing about the failed hitman plan
During the investigation, police discovered that the murder was planned earlier. Officers said Balamurugan had contacted a man named Moulesh Kumar, a habitual offender from Salem in Tamil Nadu.
Kumar, 25, had earlier cases of murder and house burglary against him. Police said Balamurugan paid him Rs 1.5 lakh as advance to shoot Bhuvaneshwari.
However, Kumar delayed the act and later asked for more money. Police said Kumar visited Bengaluru, did a recce of the area, and advised Balamurugan on places without CCTV cameras.
An officer said Balamurugan found Kumar while searching for 'rowdies' on a social media platform.
Husband carried out the killing himself
Police said Balamurugan began to believe that Kumar would not go ahead with the murder. When the hitman did not turn up, he decided to act on his own.
Investigators said this led to Balamurugan waiting along his wife’s route and shooting her himself.
Kumar has now been arrested. He was brought to Bengaluru on a body warrant from Salem prison for questioning.
Marriage, separation, and divorce notice
The couple were natives of Salem district in Tamil Nadu. They got married in 2011 and moved to Bengaluru in 2018 after Balamurugan joined a private software company.
He earlier worked at Capgemini, a multinational IT firm.
The couple had been living separately for over a year due to frequent arguments. Police said the accused suspected his wife of having another relationship.
Bhuvaneshwari had shifted homes and changed her bank posting from Whitefield to Basaveshwaranagar six months ago. Police said Balamurugan later traced her address and moved closer after quitting his job.
A week before the murder, Bhuvaneshwari sent him a divorce notice, which police believe triggered the crime.
The pistol used in the murder has been seized. Police are verifying how the weapon was obtained and whether it was licensed. Balamurugan remains in police custody. Further investigation is ongoing, including the role of others and the full chain behind the weapon purchase.
