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‘Hidden’ illness, demand for money: Why Bengaluru doctor murdered his wife
Kruthika Reddy died from respiratory failure due to an anesthetic overdose. The dose was allegedly administered by her husband.
Bengaluru doctor Mahendra Reddy was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly murdering his wife. A recent viscera report revealed that his wife , Dr Kruthika Reddy, had died of an anesthesia overdose, contradicting Mahendra's claim of a "natural death".
As this doctor turned into a killer, various questions have emerged in this murder case. But one takes prime importance - why did he kill his wife?
Also Read | How Bengaluru doctor meticulously planned, killed wife with anesthesia, less than year after marriage
Wife's 'hidden' illness a source of frustration
Kruthika Reddy died from respiratory failure due to an anesthetic overdose. The dose was allegedly administered by Mahendra, who claimed he was offering medical care to his wife.
However, as per the police, Mahendra was upset after learning that his wife suffered from long-standing gastric and metabolic disorders. The police further added that this information was withheld by her family and not revealed to him prior to their wedding in May 2024.
"Mahendra visited her under the pretext of offering medical care and allegedly administered IV injections containing anesthetic agents over two days before she lost consciousness," the DCP told HT.
Demand for money
While police believe the doctor's frustration with his wife's illness may have been a reason for the murder, Kruthika's father told Marathahalli police that his son-in-law had often demanded money from them.
In his complaint to the police, Muni Reddy stated that Mahendra wished to build a private hospital for Kruthika, but the family was unable to provide him with the required funds.
"He wanted me to build a private hospital for Kritika, and I refused, stating I did not have that much money. Meanwhile, Mahendra was ignoring my daughter while growing close to another woman. He treated her gastrointestinal issues by administering liquids intravenously," he stated in the complaint.
"Dr. Kruthika trusted her husband completely she believed in his love and in his profession. But the same medical knowledge that should have saved lives was used to destroy hers. Our family seeks the harshest punishment for this premeditated act and justice for our daughter, whose loss is not just personal but a loss to society," the father added further as per news agency ANI.
Husband booked on murder charges
Following the findings of the forensic report, police reclassified the case as murder, instead of unnatural death. Mahendra was arrested under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police have added that Mahendra has insisted he is innocent and continues to claim that his wife died of natural causes.
