DHARWAD: Chilling details emerge in the murder case of anesthesiologist Dr Kiran Honnannavar (45) who was found dead at his apartment in Dharwad on Wednesday. Prima facie it was considered a double murder but the doctor’s eight-year-old son Nihal was saved by Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar from the crime scene.
The twist took place when the commissioner visited the spot and while inspecting the bodies, found the boy was still alive and sent him to hospital.
According to police sources, Dr Honnannavar was to visit the hospital on Wednesday but when he did not, his colleagues tried to connect with him over phone but failed. Meanwhile, a few calls were received by his wife Dr Priyanka, an ophthalmologist, who told them her husband was resting.
Dr Priyanka later called her domestic help and asked her not to come to work, saying the family was going out of town. When neighbours tried to talk with her, she behaved normally but denied them entry into the house.
Kumar told the TNIE that he was with his son in hospital when he received the call. He rushed to the crime spot and found the body of Dr Honnannavar in the flat. When he inspected the boy, his body temperature was normal and he was breathing, though motionless. “The boy is being treated and is out of danger now,” Kumar said.
Dr Priyanka is Dr Honnannavar’s second wife, and Nihal is the son of his first wife, police said, adding that the murder was a result of some disputes in the family.
Police suspect Dr Priyanka administered her husband an injection while he was asleep, and later stabbed him to death. “There are 18 stab wounds on the body of Dr Honnannavar.
Later she stabbed Nihal eight times, but he survived. After the crime, she tried to kill herself by taking insulin injections,” Kumar said.
“We have registered a case against her, based on the complaint given by Dr Honnannavar’s relatives. The available CCTV footage and other evidence confirms no one entered their house,” the officer said, adding that the exact time of murder and motive will become known only after the postmortem report arrives.
Ishwar Hasabi, medical superintendent of Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute, said, “Dr Priyanka was suffering from hypoglycemia and was hospitalised. There are marks of injections on her hands, and it is not clear why she took the injections. As of now, we don’t have her medical history. When she was hospitalised, her glucose level was 40, in such conditions the person is unable to think or perform activities. Now she is under observation and is doing well.”
MURDER TRACK
Wednesday, July 15
10am: Priyanka calls maid, asks her not to come in, claims family is going out of town
11am: Doctors from Cirayu Hospital, Dharwad, try to reach Dr Kiran who is supposed to administer anaesthesia to patients
1pm: Relatives of Dr Kiran try calling Priyanka, but calls go unanswered
3pm: Suspicious, relatives call neighbours; when neighbours visit residence, Priyanka opens door, says Kiran is resting
6.30pm: Relatives contact police, team rushes to Dr Kiran’s house in Jayanagar
7pm: HD Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar rushes to spot, rescues 8-year-old Nihal lying in pool of blood
8pm: Nihal admitted to SDM Hospital, Priyanka taken to KIMS Hospital for treatment
