Karnataka Man Murders Wife, Stages Heart Attack; Caught at Funeral
Husband arrested after in-laws spot neck marks on 21-year-old bride during last rites in Belagavi.
A chilling domestic crime unfolded in Neginahal village, Belagavi district, Karnataka, where 21-year-old Rajeshwari Fakriappa Gilakkanavar was allegedly strangled to death by her husband, Fakirappa Gilakkanavar. The accused reportedly staged the murder as a natural heart attack and invited relatives for the funeral rites.
According to family members, the couple had been married for three years. Rajeshwari faced ongoing harassment and pressure from her husband over the couple’s inability to conceive a child. In a fit of rage during a domestic dispute, he allegedly strangled her.
When Rajeshwari’s parents arrived for the funeral, they noticed visible strangulation marks on her neck, raising immediate suspicions about the reported cause of death. They promptly informed the local police, who rushed to the scene and launched an investigation.
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Initial police inquiry treated the case as suspected murder. Rajeshwari’s body was shifted to Belagavi BIMS hospital for post-mortem examination. Preliminary autopsy findings confirmed signs consistent with homicide by strangulation.
During interrogation, the husband reportedly confessed to the crime. He has been formally arrested, charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, and remanded to judicial custody. The body was handed over to the family after the post-mortem for final rites. Police continue to investigate possible motives and any prior complaints of domestic violence.
The incident has once again highlighted the serious issue of dowry-related harassment and pressure over childlessness in some parts of rural Karnataka, prompting calls for stricter enforcement of women’s safety laws.
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