BENGALURU: Concerned about his wife’s future after his death, a 72-year-old former employee of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) allegedly strangled his wife to death at their apartment, under Avalahalli police station limits, on Wednesday morning. Police have arrested the accused.
The deceased, Sandhya Shri (62), was married to Nagesh Ishwar Rao, a native of Andhra Pradesh and former ISRO team leader. The couple had been staying in a flat in Virtuoso apartment complex in Bommanahalli for the past three years. Their only daughter lives in the United States.
According to police, around 10.15am, Rao allegedly strangled his wife with a towel while she was working in the kitchen. He allegedly intended to take his own life after killing his wife, but changed his mind and called his neighbours, alerting them about the murder. The neighbours informed a doctor who lives in the apartment complex, who found that Sandhya was dead, and alerted the police.
Police arrested Rao and sent Sandhya’s body for postmortem. His daughter was informed. The exact cause of death will be ascertained during investigation, police added.
A senior police officer said that according to preliminary investigation, Rao is reportedly undergoing psychiatric treatment. He confessed to the murder and gave multiple reasons for it, saying he was worried about his wife’s future after his death, fearing that no one would take care of her. He allegedly decided to kill her and then take his own life but changed his mind, the officer said.