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Karnataka man gets death sentence for drowning three children in well, attempting wife’s murder: Report
Additionally, the court imposed a fine of ₹10,000 and instructed the District Legal Services Authority to provide financial assistance to his wife.
A 43-year-old man from Karnataka has been sentenced to death for the heinous crime of killing his three children and attempting to murder his wife.
The incident took place in 2022 and shocked the residents of Thalipady village near Mangaluru, Indian Express reported.
The third Additional District and Sessions Court in Mangaluru, presided over by Judge Sandhya S, handed the death penalty to Hitesh Shettigar, also known as Hithesh Kumar, on Tuesday, the report added. Shettigar was found guilty of pushing his three children—Rashmitha (4), Uday Kumar (11), and Dakshith alias Daksh (4)—into an open well on June 23, 2022. He also tried to push his wife, Lakshmi, into the same well, but she survived.
Investigations revealed that Shettigar had stopped working after the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving his family in financial distress, the report added. Lakshmi, who worked as a beedi roller and at a local hotel, became the sole breadwinner. Despite her efforts, Shettigar allegedly refused to contribute financially or seek steady employment.
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What happened on June 23, 2022?
The day of the incident unfolded when Lakshmi returned home from work to find her children missing. Shettigar feigned concern and joined her in the search, while the children had already drowned in the well. According to reports, the children clung to a submersible pump before succumbing. When Lakshmi discovered what had happened, Shettigar pushed her into the well as well. However, her screams alerted a neighbor, Mohammed Nasrathullah, who intervened and saved her.
The Mulki police, led by Inspector Kusumadhar, built the case with testimonies from 32 witnesses, including neighbors and family members. The court convicted Shettigar under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for murder, sentencing him to death, and under Section 307 for attempted murder, sentencing him to 10 years in prison.
Additionally, the court imposed a fine of ₹10,000 and instructed the District Legal Services Authority to provide financial assistance to Lakshmi, acknowledging the devastating impact on her life.
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