Police in Bengaluru are intensifying their investigation into the brutal murder of a 39-year-old assistant bank manager, delving into the accused husband's claim that a divorce notice drove him to kill. The victim, Bhuvaneshwari, was shot dead, and the prime suspect, her 40-year-old husband Balamurugan, has presented a disputed narrative that investigators are now meticulously verifying.
The Central Claim: A Missing Divorce Notice
According to officials from the Magadi Road police station, Balamurugan asserted that he was consumed by rage upon learning that Bhuvaneshwari had sent him a notice seeking divorce. This alleged notice, he claimed, was the catalyst for the fatal shooting. However, the police have been unable to locate any physical or digital record of such a notice being served.
Initial suspicions that it might have been sent electronically were not corroborated by evidence on the accused's mobile phone. A senior police officer involved in the case revealed, "At this stage, we are not certain whether any divorce notice was sent, as claimed by the accused." The investigation has taken a technical turn, as police found that some data was deleted from Balamurugan's phone, which will now be sent to forensic experts for recovery.
Balamurugan reportedly told investigators that a mutual friend informed him about the notice. This friend has since been summoned, and his statement is being officially recorded. The police have also noted that a thorough search of the accused's residence for any incriminating material linked to the crime is still pending.
A Chilling Premeditated Plan
Investigators have uncovered a horrifying level of planning behind the crime. Balamurugan, an MCA graduate who had left his job at a private firm, has confessed to plotting his wife's murder well in advance. Police believe the plan was nearly a year in the making.
As part of this alleged elaborate scheme, he is said to have procured an illegal pistol much earlier and also purchased a knife as a backup weapon. After moving to Cholourpalya, Balamurugan allegedly began searching for Bhuvaneshwari and successfully spotted her a few days before the incident. Police said he meticulously observed the route she regularly took while returning home from the bank's Basaveshwaranagar branch, where she had recently been promoted and transferred.
The Day of the Crime and Ongoing Probe
On Tuesday evening, the plan was executed. Balamurugan allegedly shot Bhuvaneshwari from behind. After the first bullet struck her head and she collapsed, he reportedly fired two more rounds, hitting her head, back, and left hand. While the accused claimed he obtained the pistol and ammunition from Bihar, police stated that this claim is yet to be verified.
In a significant detail, police confirmed that Bhuvaneshwari's recent transfer to the Basaveshwaranagar branch was not initiated at her request. Investigators are currently analysing Balamurugan's call detail records (CDR) to piece together his movements and communications in the lead-up to the murder. The investigation remains active as authorities work to corroborate or disprove the accused's statements and establish a clear motive.
