Wife arrested in Karnataka ex-DGP Om Prakash murder case

Bengaluru: Police probing former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash's murder case have arrested his wife Pallavi on a complaint by their son Kartikesh that he suspected that his mother and sister were involved in the murder. "Investigation Officer has arrested Pallavi Om Prakash (64). She will be produced before the Magistrate," an officer said on Monday.

He added that the case has been transferred to the Central Crime Branch of Bengaluru (CCB) for further investigation.

Meanwhile, when police took Pallavi to the scene of crime, she told reporters present there that "domestic violence" was the reason behind the extreme step.

Prakash, a 1981 batch IPS officer hailing from Bihar, was found dead in a pool of blood in the ground floor of his three-storeyed house in the posh HSR Layout in the city on Sunday.

It is learnt that after a heated exchange of words, Pallavi allegedly threw chilli powder on Prakash's face before stabbing him to death, police sources said.

As the hefty former police chief of Karnataka scrambled for relief from the burning sensation, Pallavi stabbed him multiple times with a knife and bottle, killing him on the spot, sources said.

She then made a video call to her friend and said, "I have killed the monster," sources claimed.

In his complaint, Kartikesh alleged that his mother Pallavi had been threatening to kill his father for the past one week.

"Due to these threats, my father had gone to stay at his sister's house," he stated.

"Two days ago, my younger sister Kriti went there and pressured my father to return home. She brought him back against his will," Kartikesh alleged.

He said on Sunday around 5 PM, when he was at the Karnataka Golf Association in Domlur, his neighbour called him and informed that his father was found lying downstairs.

"I rushed home (located in HSR Layout) and found police officers and people present on the spot. My father was lying in a pool of blood with injuries on his head and body. A broken bottle and a knife were there next to his body. He was then taken to St John's Hospital," he explained.

"My mother Pallavi and my sister Kriti used to fight with my father often. I strongly suspect that they are involved in the murder of my father. I request you to initiate legal action in this case," he said in his complaint to the police.

The murder was the culmination of frequent run-ins between the couple, the sources said.

It is learnt that there was a property dispute involved in the crime pertaining to a land in Dandeli in Karnataka.

A few months ago, Pallavi had approached the HSR Layout police station to lodge a complaint.

When the staff there did not oblige, she staged a 'Dharna' (sit-in demonstration) in front of the police station, sources claimed.

It's also learnt that Pallavi was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was under medication too.

Meanwhile, the former top police brass was cremated with full state honours in Bengaluru on Monday after the autopsy.

Kartikesh, performed the last rites. Relatives and friends of the former DGP gathered to pay their final respects. After a gun salute, he was cremated at Wilson Garden Cremation Ground.

Speaking to reporters after the cremation, Kartikesh said, "After yesterday's incident, I lodged a complaint. The police are doing their job, and I have full faith in them. I don't want to comment further as the investigation will reveal everything. Let's wait for that."

The 68-year-old retired IPS officer was a native of Champaran, Bihar, and held a Master's degree in Geology.

Prakash was appointed Director General of Police on March 1, 2015.