Ex-K'taka DGP murder case: Bengaluru Police grill wife, daughter

Bengaluru, April 21 (IANS) The Karnataka Police were questioning the wife and daughter of former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash (68) in connection with his brutal murder, police sources confirmed on Monday. The two were detained and brought to the police station from the Observation Centre in a Hoysala patrolling vehicle.

Police sources confirmed that the deceased officer’s wife, Pallavi, had sent a message to the wife of an IPS officer, stating that she had "finished off a monster". The police have also gathered information that Pallavi made a video call after allegedly committing the crime.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that DGP Om Prakash was killed by his wife, Pallavi. However, police suspect that it may not have been possible for one person to commit such a brutal crime alone, and are therefore questioning the daughter as well.

Investigators have found that the accused sent a WhatsApp message to a family group, alleging harassment by Om Prakash. In the message, she claimed he was roaming around the house with a gun and could kill both her and their daughter. She also urged someone to file a police complaint against him.

According to police sources, the accused first threw chilli powder on Om Prakash and poured oil on him. He was then stabbed more than 12 times in the neck, abdomen, chest, and head. Evidence suggests that he struggled for nearly 10 minutes before succumbing to his injuries.

Police also stated that Pallavi has confessed to the crime during initial questioning, claiming that she committed the act to save her own life. However, an official statement is still awaited.

“Pallavi watched Om Prakash die and made phone calls after his death,” said sources. She claimed that her daughter had been locked in one of the rooms during the incident, but police are verifying the accuracy of this statement.

Investigations have revealed that Pallavi suffered from a mental condition similar to schizophrenia and was undergoing treatment. Police found that she had frequently visited mental health centres and hospitals. Om Prakash had reportedly confided in close circles that he wished to live separately after their daughter’s marriage, sources stated.

Authorities plan to formally record the statements of Pallavi and her daughter before continuing with their questioning. Police said that when officers first arrived at the residence after receiving information about the murder, the mother and daughter created a high drama, refusing to open the door. Only after senior officers intervened did they allow the police inside, about 30 minutes later.

The accused again created a commotion at the police station on Monday morning. They allegedly refused to get out of the vehicle and shouted at police officers, demanding not to be touched.

Sources stated that the incident took place between 1.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. on Sunday. Om Prakash and Pallavi had been experiencing marital discord for over 10 years, and he had reportedly confided in close friends about being harassed and tortured by her.

Om Prakash was residing with his wife on the first floor of a four-storey building he owned in the IPS Officers’ Quarters Residential Complex. Their daughter lived on the fourth floor, while their son Karthik stayed in the same building with his family. He was away when the incident occurred.

Sources also revealed that Om Prakash owned land in areas around Bengaluru, including Magadi, Bidadi, and Dandeli. He had given the property in Dandeli to his brothers, which reportedly upset Pallavi, leading to frequent quarrels. He had allegedly warned her not to speak ill of his brothers.

On Sunday afternoon, a heated argument over this matter escalated, ultimately resulting in his brutal murder. The HSR Layout police are currently investigating the case.

Former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash was found murdered at his residence in Bengaluru on Sunday. The 68-year-old retired officer was discovered in a pool of blood at his home in HSR Layout in Bengaluru. Om Prakash, a 1981 batch IPS officer, served as the 38th Director General of Police (DGP) of Karnataka in 2015.

The police have seized two knives and a bottle used in the crime from the residence.

Om Prakash hailed from Champaran in Bihar. During his career, he served as the Commandant General of Home Guards and worked in the Fire and Emergency Services, Civil Rights Enforcement, and other departments.

He had also served in the State Vigilance Commission, Karnataka Lokayukta, and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Additionally, he held the post of Transport Commissioner and was preferred for handling communal tensions in the Bhatkal region of Karwar district.

He was involved in investigating two major terrorist attacks in Bengaluru. He played a key role in the arrest of the accused in the bomb blast near the BJP headquarters on April 17, 2013, and the Church Street bomb blast case on December 28, 2014.

--IANS

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