Multiple IV doses, no CPR: Shocking finds in murder by anesthesia in Bengaluru

Using his wife's medical vulnerabilities and his professional knowledge, Mahendra Reddy hatched a plan to slowly lead his wife Kruthika to death

What initially seemed like a case of mysterious death, has now turned into a full-fledged murder investigation in Bengaluru. Kruthika M Reddy was found dead six months ago, and her doctor husband Mahendra Reddy is now under arrest as police probes the alleged murder.

The ongoing probe has revealed several shocking details of how Mahendra plotted Kruthika's murder, just an year into their marriage.

Using his wife's medical vulnerabilities and his professional medical knowledge, Mahendra hatched a plan to slowly lead his wife to death. The ongoing probe has revealed several shocking details of how Mahendra plotted Kruthika's murder, just an year into their marriage.

Multiple IV doses for 'gastric discomfort', misuse of medical position

Mahendra allegedly administered several intravenous (IV) medication to Kruthika over days, the first dose being in April this year. She suffered from long-standing gastric and metabolic disorders, a condition Mahendra allegedly used as an excuse to give the IV doses to her. Being a doctor, Mahendra allegedly abused his professional access to the hospital’s OT and ICU facilities to obtain and administer the drug.

He reportedly administered anaesthetic drugs to Kruthika in quantities exceeding the recommended dose, causing fatal respiratory depression that led to her death.

According to police, when Kruthika was found dead in April, the cause behind her death couldn't be known. An unnatural death report (UDR) was filed and a cannula set, injection tube, and other medical items used in the act, were among some evidence collected, reported news agency ANI.

Sedative substances found by FSL, woman's father files complaint

While Kruthika's death remained a mystery for a long time, new revelations gradually emerged. Police collected viscera samples from her body, and forensic examination by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) detected traces of the sedative Propofol in her organs.

It was only after the FSL revealed this finding that Kruthika's father Muni Reddy grew suspicious of his son-in-law, Mahendra, and filed a police complaint against him. He alleged that Mahendra had killed his daughter by administering sedatives.

No CPR by Kruthika's doctor husband

After Kruthika began feeling uneasy due to the first IV dose, Mahendra reportedly took her to her parents’ home, saying she needed rest, but later returned and gave her another IV dose, which further worsened her condition.

On April 23, two days after the first dose, Kruthika complained of pain at the IV site, but Mahendra allegedly advised her over WhatsApp not to remove it. At around 9:30 pm that night, he went to her room and administered the injection.

Kruthika was found unresponsive the next day, but despite being a doctor, Mahendra did not perform CPR on her. She was later declared dead.

Motive behind murdering wife

Mahendra was reportedly upset over Kruthika's medical conditions, which her family allegedly hid from him before they got married last year in May.

"Mahendra visited her under the pretext of offering medical care and allegedly administered IV injections containing anaesthetic agents over two days before she lost consciousness," the DCP told HT.

However, Kruthika's father Muni Reddy alleges that he had big monetary demands from him, including building a private hospital. He also alleged that Mahendra was seeing another woman behind Kruthika's back and was treating Kruthika's "gastrointestinal issues by administering liquids intravenously".