The Bengaluru serial murders case has revealed disturbing new details as police reconstruct how a cab driver allegedly murdered his wife and six other relatives during a 15-day killing spree. According to investigators, the suspect, Indushekhar, drugged his victims, bludgeoned them with a grinding stone, and stuffed their remains into plastic bags before discarding them in remote locations across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. He would subsequently return home, clean the crime scene, and prepare for the next attack. His minor daughter allegedly assisted him in concealing the offences.
Four bodies have been recovered thus far, and search operations continue for the remaining victims. Police stated that the accused confessed to the homicides during questioning.
Investigators believe the sequence of killings began following recurring domestic disputes between Indushekhar and his wife, Sunita, to whom he had been married for approximately 20 years. Sunita, who was around 12 years younger than her husband, frequently argued with him and allegedly questioned his masculinity, leaving him resentful and humiliated. Following another quarrel on October 14, Indushekhar resolved to kill her and subsequently purchased sleeping pills, plastic bags, and ropes. On the night of October 16, he prepared non-vegetarian food, consumed alcohol, and allegedly mixed an intoxicating tablet into Sunita's drink. After she lost consciousness, he struck her head with a grinding stone, killing her. His daughter witnessed the act and was later persuaded to help hide it.
Sunita's body was placed inside a plastic bag and kept in the bedroom. The following day, her mother, Roopavathi, repeatedly attempted to call her. When Sunita's phone remained turned off, Roopavathi contacted Indushekhar, who stated that Sunita was home and invited her to visit. Roopavathi arrived at the Rajajinagar residence on October 18, and when she inquired about her daughter, the accused provided evasive answers. His daughter then served her grandmother non-vegetarian food and alcohol. While Roopavathi ate, Indushekhar turned up the television volume and struck her from behind with the grinding stone, killing her.
The father and daughter packed Roopavathi's body into a plastic bag, and on the night of October 19, they transported both corpses in their car, dumping them in the ghat section between Salem and Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu while retaining the victims' mobile phones.
On October 23, Indushekhar's brother-in-law, Shivakumar, attempted to reach his sister and mother without success. When he called Indushekhar, the accused claimed the two women had gone on a trip and invited him over for a meal. Shivakumar arrived on October 24 accompanied by his wife, Divya, and son, Puneeth. The accused allegedly served the couple food and alcohol mixed with sleeping pills. While Divya and Puneeth went to sleep in the bedroom, Shivakumar slept in the hall.
Shivakumar was killed first when Indushekhar struck him with the grinding stone, with the daughter allegedly helping to pack the body into the kitchen. In the early hours of October 25, Divya woke up to use the washroom and, upon asking about her husband, was attacked and killed. Puneeth rushed out after hearing his mother's screams and was also murdered. Their bodies were packed in plastic bags, and on October 27, Indushekhar and his daughter transported all three in the vehicle's boot. The bodies of Shivakumar and Divya were discarded near the foothills of Chamundi Hills in Mysuru, while Puneeth's body was brought back to Bengaluru.
On October 31, Sunita's other brother, Shankar, tried contacting his sister, mother, and Shivakumar with no response. Indushekhar told him the family had gone on a trip and invited him to visit. Shankar arrived on November 1 with his wife, Nalini, and son, Yateen. The host allegedly served them food and alcohol laced with sleeping pills. After they fell asleep, Indushekhar struck Shankar and Nalini on the head with the grinding stone, killing them.
The sleeping pills, however, failed to work as intended, leaving young Yateen awake. Investigators noted that the boy walked out of the room to urinate just as the accused prepared to attack. Indushekhar told the child that nothing was wrong and instructed him to wait outside. The accused then killed Shankar and delayed his plan to harm Yateen, as he needed to dispose of the bodies and brought the boy along instead. In the early hours of November 2, Shankar and Nalini's bodies were discarded near Shiradi Ghat, roughly 260 kilometres from Bengaluru, alongside Puneeth's body from the car boot, which was left near Nandi Hills.
With multiple family members unreachable, relatives approached local authorities on November 2, resulting in a missing persons complaint filed the following day by Thungamma, Nalini's mother. Mobile phone tower analysis revealed that the missing individuals' phones had been active in the same areas as Indushekhar's device. On November 4, police located him near Halasuru Gate while he was travelling in his Etios car alongside his daughter and Yateen.