Bengaluru firm manager murders wife, stuffs body in suitcase before fleeing to Pune

Credit: X

A 36-year-old man allegedly murdered his 32-year-old wife, stuffed her body into a suitcase, and abandoned it in their rented house in south Bengaluru before fleeing to Pune. However, he was arrested near Pune within 24 hours on Thursday night.

The couple had recently moved into a first-floor house in Dodda-Kammanahalli, near Hulimavu, just a month ago. Police believe they had relocated from Mumbai, though they are still investigating the exact timeline of their move to Bengaluru.

The couple had been married for two years. Rakesh, a project manager at a well-known private firm, was working from home, while Gauri, who held a bachelor's degree in mass media, was searching for a job.

After the murder, Rakesh tried to flee but was apprehended in Maharashtra while driving toward Pune. "He is being brought back to Bengaluru," a police officer told TOI.

During the initial investigation, police found that the crime was reported on Thursday evening. Around 5.30 pm, the accused called his landlord and admitted to killing his wife the previous night before fleeing Bengaluru. He requested the landlord to notify the police about the murder and inform her family so they could carry out her last rites. The landlord then alerted the police control room immediately.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Sarah Fatima said the body bore stab injuries and was found packed inside a suitcase. “The accused has been detained, and we are bringing him to Bengaluru. The reason behind the murder will be known after further interrogation,” she said.

Once in custody, Rakesh admitted to stabbing Gouri during an argument over a minor issue while having dinner on Wednesday. In a fit of rage, he took a kitchen knife and stabbed her two to three times, leading to fatal injuries. She died on the spot.

“We still don’t know what the trivial issue was. Rakesh is in a state of shock and not in a position to speak much. We will interrogate him in detail,” a senior police officer said.