Investigation into an accident that left a pregnant woman with fractured legs, and also caused her to suffer a miscarriage, led the Bengaluru police to arrest her husband and his accomplice, officers said Sunday.
The police said Aravinda Kumar, 28, a resident of Bande Kodigehalli near Bagaluru in north Bengaluru, was arrested for attempting to murder his wife after she refused to grant him a divorce. Aravinda’s driver Uday Kumar, 27, of Chikkamadhure was also arrested.
Aravinda’s wife Chaitanya, a dance teacher, was heading home after class on December 31, 2022 when the ‘accident’ occurred. A speeding SUV hit her two-wheeler, which was on the extreme left side of the road, before fleeing. Chaitanya, who was four months pregnant at the time, soon lost the baby and spent months in hospital recovering from the injuries.
The Devanahalli traffic police initially registered an accident case, but when officers visited her in hospital on March 30 this year, Chaitanya expressed suspicion that someone had intentionally tried to kill her. A few witnesses also informed the police that the driver of the red SUV appeared to have deliberately targeted her.
The case was then transferred to the Bengaluru police which registered an attempt-to-murder case and began investigation. Deputy Commissioner of Police (North East) Laxmi Prasad said Chaitanya had informed them that Aravinda had threatened to murder her.
Officers soon traced the red Tata Sumo involved in the incident to a garage and gathered the owner’s information. On contacting the owner, they learnt that he had sold the vehicle to Aravinda in December.
Last week, the police interrogated Aravinda, who works at a cigarette manufacturing company, and he eventually confessed to his involvement in the crime, officers said. He said he had married Chaitanya in 2022, but their relationship soured soon after. The accused claimed that Chaitanya refused to live with his parents and insisted on a separate residence, leading to constant arguments. Frustrated by the situation and his failed attempts to convince her for a divorce, Aravinda decided to kill her.
According to the police, he purchased the second-hand SUV with the intention to kill Chaitanya. He then hired Uday as a driver and planned the attack. The duo decided to kill her near Binnamangala as there were no CCTVs on the stretch.
