In what was a deranged chain of activities, Bengaluru witnessed one more psychopathic murder, where a killer convicted for the murder of his first wife escaped prison only to murder his second wife. A 44-year old man, Shankar hails from Kolar, in the outskirts of Bengaluru. He was sentenced for life 11 years ago for murdering his first wife Mala in Kamakshipalaya in 2008.
In 2011, he was sentenced to life imprisonment by the court after a comprehensive hearing over the matter and was moved to Parappana Agrahara central jail in the city. On February 4, 2019, he was shifted to Victoria hospital near the city market as a caretaker for his good behaviour. Shankar escaped the hospital on February 18 and reunited with his second wife. The prison officials had lodged a missing man complaint with the VV Puram police station on February 19.
Shankar had married his second wife Renuka (33) while he was out on parole. Renuka was a native of Hassan district in Karnataka and had married Shankar after the death of her husband. After his escape, Shankar returned to his second wife only to kill her. The couple had rented a lodge in Majestic and were staying there. On the day of the murder, Shankar had taken his wife out for shopping and had brought her many gifts. But on returning to their abode, he murdered her by slitting her throat.
The incident came into light after an employee of the lodge detected vile smell rising from the room the couple had rented. The suspicious staff knocked a few times but there was no response. Suspecting foul play, the staff opened the room with a spare key and found Renuka's lifeless body lying in a pool of blood.
The lodge management immediately alerted the Upparpet police station following which the officers rushed to the scene and are currently investigating the case. The victim's body was sent for post-mortem. The reason behind the murder is yet to be clarified. The police have declared a manhunt on Shankar.
