BENGALURU: Kadugodi police arrested a man for allegedly assaulting and killing his 60-year-old mother and trying to cover up the murder by staging it as an accidental death.
After the arrest, the accused reportedly told police that following his father’s death, his mother had started consuming alcohol and would often create a disturbance at home. He was also angry because a man would frequently sit near their house, leading people in the neighbourhood to allegedly speak ill of his mother.
The deceased, Bhagyamma, was a resident of Bevina Mara Colony. Her third son, Balaji, 35, was arrested in connection with the murder.
Balaji reportedly had an argument with his mother over some issue on the night of September 24. In a fit of rage, he allegedly assaulted her repeatedly, and she collapsed and died on the spot. Not knowing what to do, he called his relatives the next morning and told them that his mother had died after accidentally falling from the bed. Bhagyamma’s family members and relatives gathered at their residence and began making arrangements for her funeral.
Kadugodi police received information about the death through the 112 emergency helpline. As funeral preparations were nearing completion, police reached the spot and expressed suspicion over circumstances surrounding the aged woman’s death. When police insisted on conducting a postmortem examination, family members and locals initially objected.
Police took custody of the body and returned it after the postmortem. The autopsy report revealed that Bhagyamma had suffered 12 serious injuries.
Police questioned local residents and neighbours separately who revealed about the quarrel on September 24. Police detained Balaji and during interrogation, he confessed to killing his mother.
“Balaji also said that he had pledged his mother’s gold jewellery weighing 32gm and she was demanding that he return the jewellery. On that night when the argument escalated, Balaji allegedly assaulted his mother, resulting in her death,” an officer said, based on the accused’s statements.
