In a chilling revelation from the investigation into the alleged murder of dermatologist Dr Kruthika Reddy, her husband, general surgeon Dr Mahendra Reddy, sent a message to his lover declaring, "I killed my wife for you," mere hours after the incident. The 28-year-old accused, arrested on October 15 after a six-month probe, communicated the confession via a digital payment application, as uncovered through forensic analysis of his phone by Bengaluru police. The unnamed woman, with whom Reddy was reportedly in an extramarital relationship, has been questioned, and her statement recorded, though authorities have withheld her identity to protect privacy. This digital trail has emerged as pivotal evidence in a case that has stunned the medical community at Victoria Hospital, where the couple both worked.

The tragic events unfolded on April 21 at the couple's residence, when Kruthika, also 28, suddenly fell ill and was rushed to a nearby hospital by her husband, who claimed she had been unwell and under treatment. She was declared dead on arrival, with initial reports suggesting natural causes related to her health issues. However, a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report later confirmed lethal levels of propofol—a potent short-acting anaesthetic commonly used in surgeries—in her organs, pointing to deliberate overdose. Police raids on the home yielded crucial items, including a cannula set, injection tube, and other medical paraphernalia, suggesting Reddy leveraged his surgical expertise to administer the drug covertly and stage the death as accidental.

Kruthika's father, suspecting foul play from the outset, lodged a formal complaint against his son-in-law following the FSL findings, triggering the murder investigation under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. Married just 18 months earlier on May 26, 2024, the couple appeared to lead a stable professional life at Victoria Hospital until whispers of Reddy's affair surfaced during the probe. "Evidence collected till now points at the role of the husband in the crime, as he was the person who brought her to the hospital initially and didn't mention anything that could have gone wrong," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh stated, emphasising the malicious intent behind the sedatives. Reddy's failure to disclose any prior intervention further fuelled suspicions of a calculated cover-up.

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The case highlights the vulnerabilities in interpersonal relationships within high-stress professions like medicine, where access to potent drugs can enable such crimes. Propofol, while safe in controlled medical settings, is notoriously risky without monitoring, as seen in high-profile incidents like the 2009 death of Michael Jackson. In India, spousal murders involving medical professionals have risen, with NCRB data showing over 300 such cases annually, often linked to infidelity or financial disputes. Reddy, currently in judicial custody, faces charges of murder and evidence tampering, with police probing the lover's potential complicity.

As the investigation deepens, forensic experts continue to analyse communication logs and timelines to reconstruct the motive, believed to be rooted in Reddy's desire to pursue the affair unencumbered. Kruthika's family, mourning the loss of a dedicated doctor who specialised in skin ailments, has demanded swift justice, vowing to support the probe. This tragedy serves as a sombre reminder of the dark undercurrents that can lurk behind seemingly idyllic unions, prompting calls for stricter oversight on hospital drug access and marital counselling in professional circles.

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