Deceased woman's ex-lover held, shocking revelations of double murder

Hameed Ashraf | NT

Bengaluru: In a significant breakthrough, the Bagalgunte police have apprehended the suspect in the double murder case of a woman and her 11-year-old son.

Shockingly, it has been revealed that the accused was romantically involved with the deceased woman, adding a complex layer to the tragic incident.

The victims, Navaneeta (33) and her son, Sai Surjan, were tragically discovered dead at their residence in T Dasarahalli. During the initial investigation, it was evident that the woman had suffered a stab wound to her neck, while her son appeared to have been strangled to death, with signs of foaming at his mouth.

The accused had ingeniously placed the murder weapon, a knife, in the deceased woman's hand before fleeing the crime scene. Initially, suspicion fell on Navaneeta's husband, Chandru, based on a complaint filed by Navaneeta's mother.

However, subsequent inquiries revealed that Chandru and Navaneeta had separated two years ago and had not been in contact for several months. A crucial lead emerged as the police examined the Call Data Records (CDR) from Navaneeta's mobile phone, revealing consistent communication with two men.

One of them, identified as Shekhar (33), was a regular visitor to the deceased woman's home.

Following his interrogation, Shekhar confessed to the crime, according to a Bagalagunte Police Station officer. Investigations suggest that Navaneeta and Shekhar had been in a relationship for over two years.

However, Shekhar grew suspicious of Navaneeta's fidelity when he noticed her frequently meeting another individual named Lokesh from Banashankari.

Their arguments over this matter had escalated in the past. On September 5, following another heated dispute, Shekhar hatched a sinister plan to eliminate Navaneeta.

He sent young Surjan to a nearby shop to purchase milk and then engaged in a fierce altercation with Navaneeta. In a fit of rage, Shekhar used a kitchen knife to fatally stab her in the throat.

Tragically, when Surjan returned and discovered his mother in a pool of blood, he became a witness to the gruesome crime. Attempting to calm the terrified boy, the accused lured him inside, promising to perform a magic trick. Instead, he tied Surjan's hands and strangled him to death.

Before fleeing the scene, Shekhar left the gas stove open in a misguided attempt to avoid detection by the authorities.

Concerned neighbors, detecting the smell of gas, made the grim discovery of the lifeless bodies and promptly alerted the police