Kinnigoli tragedy: Police seize mobile phones, knife found in room

Team Udayavani, Nov 12, 2024, 10:45 AM IST

In a tragic incident in Mulki, Kartik Bhat (32), a resident of Pachikere, allegedly killed his wife Priyanka (28) and son Hriday (4) before taking his own life by jumping in front of a train near Bellayaru village on Friday. Police have intensified the investigation, confiscating mobile phones and two knives found in Kartik’s home, as they probe the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Kartik’s family, including his parents Janardhan and Shyamala Bhat, resided in a flat near Kemral Gram Panchayat. Police directed Kartik’s parents to vacate the flat for a few days to facilitate investigation. Interestingly, the family members, who lived in separate rooms, did not discover the bodies until later. A group photo of Kartik, Priyanka, and their son was found smeared with ink in Kartik’s room, possibly hinting at internal discord within the family.

CCTV footage from the vicinity revealed Kartik’s last movements, showing him leaving his two-wheeler near the Kallapu temple and walking toward the train tracks. Police are also exploring another theory: that an argument may have escalated, leading Priyanka to harm their child and herself, prompting Kartik to take his own life.

Following a complaint filed by Priyanka’s mother, Savitri, police have registered a case against Kartik’s mother, Shyamala, and his sister, Kanmani, for alleged abetment to suicide. The complaint states that Priyanka had often mentioned pressure from her mother-in-law and sister-in-law to vacate the house, which is registered in Kanmani’s husband’s name.

Shyamala and Kanmani were produced before the Moodbidri court on Monday and subsequently remanded to judicial custody. Both collapsed on the way to jail and were admitted to a private hospital in Moodbidri.

The investigation continues as police delve deeper into family conflicts and other possible causes behind this tragic incident.