Karnataka triple murder: 24-year-old kills parents, sister; buries them inside their rented house

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• 24-year-old man arrested for killing parents and sister in Vijayanagara
• He filed a missing persons report to mislead police after the murders
• Bodies were found buried at their rented house; motive under investigation

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Police have arrested a 24-year-old man for allegedly murdering his parents and sister in Karnataka’s Vijayanagara district and then attempting to divert attention by filing a missing persons complaint in Bengaluru, officials said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Akshay Kumar, is a resident of Kottur. The case surfaced on January 29 when Kumar approached the Tilaknagar police station in Bengaluru and reported that his parents and sister could not be traced.

Subsequent investigation, however, revealed inconsistencies in his account, prompting police to widen the probe. Kumar has since been taken into custody for the alleged killing of his father Bhimaraj, mother Jayalakshmi and sister Amrutha.

Police said the motive behind the crime is still under investigation, though all possible angles are being examined, including a potential dispute over property.

"During the course of the inquiry, discrepancies in his statements raised suspicion. A murder case was subsequently registered, following which the accused confessed to killing his parents and sister," a senior police officer said.

According to investigators, Kumar told police that after committing the murders, he buried the bodies within the premises of the rented house where the family was staying in Kottur.

Following his disclosure, a team from the Tilaknagar police station travelled to Kottur on Friday to verify the claims and carried out a detailed inspection of the site. The bodies were later exhumed and sent for post-mortem examination. Police said the autopsy reports would determine the exact cause of death.

Preliminary findings indicate that the killings took place on January 27. Kumar is believed to have travelled to Bengaluru soon after and lodged the missing persons complaint in an attempt to mislead investigators, police added.

The family originally hailed from Chitradurga district and had relocated multiple times due to work commitments. Police said they had constructed a house valued at around Rs 1.5 crore in Davangere district before moving to Kottur approximately two years ago. Further investigation into the case is ongoing.