- A 45-year-old anesthesiologist was found murdered in his Dharwad apartment
- His eight-year-old son suffered stab injuries and is undergoing hospital treatment
- The wife, an ophthalmologist, is in custody and being questioned by police
A 45-year-old anesthesiologist was found murdered inside his apartment in Karnataka's Dharwad, while his eight-year-old son was found with stab injuries. The doctor has been identified as Dr Kiran Honannavar, an anesthesiologist at Chirayu Hospital.
His wife, Dr Priyanka, an ophthalmologist, has been taken into custody for questioning. Their son has been admitted to a private hospital and is undergoing treatment.
According to Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar, preliminary investigation suggests that no outsider is believed to have entered the apartment, as it is a highly secured residential complex. Police said only three people - the husband, wife and child - were inside the house at the time of the incident.
The case came to light after Dr Kiran's relatives repeatedly tried to contact him. They were allegedly told by his wife that he was resting and later that he had gone out. When he remained unreachable until evening, family members visited the apartment and found him lying in a pool of blood. They also found the injured child inside the house.
Police said the child was still breathing when they arrived, following which he was immediately shifted to hospital.
Investigators said the husband was found dead in one room, while the injured child was found in another. Police are yet to establish the exact sequence of events.
The commissioner said the wife is currently in a state of shock and has been making inconsistent and unusual statements. He added that investigators are verifying her version of events and gathering information from both families to determine the motive behind the incident.
Police said there was no indication of any conflict with neighbours and that CCTV footage from the apartment complex will be examined as part of the investigation.
Authorities have registered a case at the Suburban Police Station. Police said the exact cause and circumstances of the murder will become clearer after the post-mortem examination and further investigation.
While relatives have alleged that Dr. Priyanka was responsible for the murder, police have not confirmed her involvement and said the investigation is ongoing. Officials also said the incident appears to have stemmed from a domestic dispute, though the precise motive is yet to be established.
Police have not officially confirmed reports regarding the child's alleged mental health condition, and the matter remains under investigation.
