Man Shoots Dead His 6-Year-Daughter, 2 In-Laws Over his Wife Deserting Him in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru

The Chikkamagaluru district police have registered a case of 3 murders & a suicide after a 40-year-old man shot himself dead after shooting dead his 6-year-old daughter and his two in-laws – mother-in-law and sister-in-law over a family dispute in Kithlikonda village on Tuesday.

The deceased accused, Ratnakar Gowda, was also a resident of the same village – Kithlikonda and had been nurturing grudge against his wife’s family members as his wife Swathi had deserted him a couple of years ago.

According to the police the incident occurred between 9:30 and 10 p.m. on Tuesday when Gowda had walked into his wives families farmhouse with the Single Barrel Breach Loader (SBBL) gun and pick the call with his mother in law and sister-in-law over his wife Swathi deserting him.

During the argument he shot at his mother in law Jyoti 50 and then his sister in law Sindhu 24 and then he also shot at his six year old daughter Moulya. All the three were killed instantly.

Co-brother of the accused Avinash who had intervened into the quarrel was also shot by Gowda at his knee injuring him.

Ratnakar Gowda then walked out of the farmhouse, went to a corner of the farm, and shot and self dead. The police are also in position of a selfie video of Ratnakar Gowda who complained about his wife Swathi we’re not been staying with his family for the past 2 years and how his daughter was missing her mother, even at school.

The Balehonnur police have registered a case under section 103 109 of the BNS and the Arms Act. According to the police Ratnakar Gowda worked as a driver with a local school. The police are also investigating into how he procured the SBBL gun which is not country made and is a licenced weapon. Ratnakar Gowda does not hold any gun licence and the police are probing into how he sourced the firearm.

According to the police, Ratnakar Gowda’s wife Swathi had been living separately over the past four years and she has been working at a garments’ outlet. The police during inquiries learnt that Gowda was having family disputes with his wife’s family members over a period of time and this could have led to the incident.

Based on a complaint from the injured Avinash, who is also an eyewitness to the crimes, the Balehonnur police have registered a case and are investigating further.

ALSO READ: Waqf Amendment Bill Not Retroactive, Says Amit Shah, Accusing Opponents Of Spreading Misconceptions