Bodies of 2 remaining family members of Bengaluru cab driver found as search across 2 states ends

The bodies of two of the remaining seven family members of a Bengaluru cab driver, whom he allegedly killed along and then dumped them at separate places, were found in a forest along Shiradi Ghat in Karnataka, about 260 km from the state capital on Monday, ending a search spanning two states.

The seven bodies were recovered from four locations across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The body of a seven-year-old boy was found near Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district, about 50 km from Bengaluru.

The remains of driver Indushekar’s wife and his mother-in-law were recovered from a forest area near Yercaud in Salem district of Tamil Nadu, around 200 km away. The bodies of another brother-in-law and his wife were found near Chamundi Hills in Mysuru, about 150 km from Bengaluru. The remains of Shankar and Nalini were the last two to be recovered.

Investigators said they have uncovered how Indushekar allegedly procured materials to pack the bodies and clean the crime scene. He visited shops in Yeshwantpur and the RMC Yard in Bengaluru and bought gunny bags and other materials and chemicals to remove bloodstains.

“When he could not find everything he needed at one place, he went to other shops to collect the remaining materials. We are collecting CCTV footage from these shops,” said an investigator.

Indushekar, 52, was arrested on November 5, after allegedly killing his wife and six members of her family at their residence in Rajajinagar over about 15 days. Investigators suspect that disputes over his wife’s continued association with her parental family were among the factors behind the killings.

With all seven bodies recovered, investigators will focus on forensic examinations to establish the sequence and timing of the killings and corroborate Indushekar’s disclosures with other evidence. Police were examining whether sleeping pills were mixed with food and alcohol to incapacitate some victims before they were attacked with a grinding stone.

Indushekar’s 11-year-old nephew, whose parents were among those killed, travelled with him believing they were on a holiday, police said. The boy, rescued when Indusekar was arrested, said that his uncle took him to Kempegowda International Airport, the Kukke Subrahmanya temple in Dakshina Kannada district, Dharmasthala and Sringeri.

Bengaluru police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said Indusekar, who also runs a Kannada-English monthly tabloid, allegedly confessed to the murders during interrogation.

Indusekar told investigators that he called the seven one by one, murdered them, and disposed of the bodies.