Husband strangles wife over unanswered calls in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: A 38-year-old woman was allegedly strangled to death by her husband following a quarrel over her failure to answer his phone calls at Bilekahalli in Bengaluru’s Mico Layout. The accused allegedly attempted to destroy evidence by pouring hot oil on her body before being arrested by the police.

The deceased has been identified as Gunja Madeshia, while her husband, Ranjit Kumar Gupta, a native of Bihar, has been arrested in connection with the incident. The couple had been living with their children in a rented house at Bilekahalli.

According to the police, frequent arguments had reportedly taken place between the couple over Gunja not answering her husband’s phone calls. On Thursday, September 17, morning, after their children left for school, the couple again got into an argument at their residence.

The quarrel allegedly turned violent, with Ranjit attacking Gunja and strangling her using a veil and a saree. She died at the spot, police said.

Investigators suspect that the accused subsequently attempted to make the death appear accidental and destroy evidence. He allegedly poured boiling oil over Gunja’s body, apparently in an attempt to burn the skin and alter the appearance of the body.

The incident came to light after the house owner informed the police about the frequent quarrels between the couple. Acting on the information, Mico Layout police questioned Ranjit and began investigating the circumstances surrounding Gunja’s death.

During the inquiry, the alleged murder came to light, following which Ranjit was taken into custody. Police are continuing their investigation to establish the sequence of events and ascertain the circumstances that led to the alleged killing.