A 29-year-old man was arrested in Karnataka’s Bagalkot district for allegedly killing his wife after suspecting her of having an extramarital affair, police said on Tuesday. Bhagyashree Jigalur was found dead at the couple’s home in Galagali village in Bilagi taluk on Monday evening.
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Her husband, Praveen Ashok Jigalur, allegedly hanged her and filmed her as she struggled while hanging from a noose, investigators told PTI.
He then shared the video with her father, other family members and friends. Investigators are also probing whether the woman was assaulted before her death.
Police have arrested Jigalur and registered a murder case against him based on a complaint filed by Bhagyashree’s father.
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Police said the exact sequence of events was yet to be established. Officers are investigating whether the woman was assaulted before being hanged or whether she died by hanging after an assault, as injuries were found on her body.
“There are blood injuries on the woman’s body, and the accused appeared to harbour resentment towards her. Instead of attempting to save her, he recorded videos and immediately shared them with several people,” Bagalkot Superintendent of Police Siddharth Goyal told PTI.
Police have recovered videos allegedly stored on the woman’s mobile phone, along with those recorded by the accused after the incident.
“The accused shared those videos with the woman’s father, family members and some friends. We have recovered those videos,” the officer said.
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Police recovered an iron rod-like weapon from the house and collected evidence for forensic examination. Officers also found beer bottles at the scene and are investigating whether she was made to consume alcohol.
“The post-mortem examination will clarify the nature of the injuries on the neck. We are also examining whether she was given any intoxicating substance. Stomach contents have been preserved and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis,” the officer said.
Police said the couple married in 2020 and lived together for about four years. They have a three-year-old son. The accused worked as a driver and travelled frequently over the past two years. During that time, police suspect Bhagyashree developed a relationship with another man from the area where her parental home is located.
Police said the alleged affair led to frequent arguments between the couple. Bhagyashree had been staying at her parents’ home for the past one-and-a-half months. Police are also looking into her alleged complaints that her husband was not taking proper care of her.
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According to SP Goyal, the accused went to his in-laws’ house on Monday and brought her back to their home. The couple were alone when the incident took place, police said.
Police said they plan to seek the accused’s custody to verify the videos recovered during the investigation, question witnesses and look into the couple’s previous marital disputes.
