A mutton lunch allegedly laced with sleeping pills, a grinding stone and multiple layers of adhesive tape formed part of the chilling method a Bengaluru cab driver reportedly used to kill his wife and six of her relatives, according to investigators probing the Rajajinagar murders.
The accused, identified as Indushekhar, allegedly invited his victims to his home under the pretext of lunch or a party. After serving them food and alcohol mixed with sleeping pills, he would wait for them to become heavily sedated before attacking them with a grinding stone, NDTV reported.
After each killing, he allegedly wrapped the body in as many as 10 layers of adhesive tape to prevent blood from leaking out and contain the smell. Investigators also suspect that he used rose water and other fragrance products to mask the odour before keeping the bodies inside the house until he could move them.
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The bodies were allegedly transported in his Toyota Etios and dumped at different locations. Investigators found a 'PRESS' sticker on the car's rear windshield, which he is suspected to have used to avoid attracting attention during police checks. The vehicle has been seized.
Wife Was First Victim, Relatives Invited Home Later
Police said Sunitha was the first victim. Indushekhar allegedly attacked her with a grinding stone and disposed of her body near Nandi Hills. He reportedly told neighbours that she had gone on a trip with friends to avoid suspicion.
He later allegedly called his brothers-in-law, Shivakumar and Shankar, to his house for a party before killing them. Their wives, Nalini and Divya, his mother-in-law Rupavathi and a seven-year-old boy, Puneeth, were also among those killed.
Investigators suspect the murders were linked to longstanding marital disputes. Indushekhar had been married to Sunitha for nearly 20 years and was allegedly resentful of her family members for supporting her during disagreements between the couple.
Police Recover More Bodies In Tamil Nadu
The case came to light after a missing-person complaint was filed by a relative. During the investigation, police allegedly found inconsistencies in Indushekhar's statements and uncovered evidence linking him to the disappearances.
The investigation has since extended to Tamil Nadu. On Saturday, police recovered the bodies of Sunitha and her mother Rupavathi from a forest area in Salem district's Yercaud, taking the number of bodies recovered to three. The body of seven-year-old Puneeth had been found earlier near Nandi Hills. Search operations are continuing for the remaining victims.
Police are also investigating whether Indushekhar's daughter or anyone else assisted him in the killings or disposal of the bodies. Her alleged role remains under investigation.