Doctor arrested for murdering elderly kin

Shivamogga: A nephew practising as a doctor in Shivamogga confessed to poisoning his elderly kin under the guise of medical care, looting valuables worth lakhs to clear betting losses.

Bhadravati Old Town police swiftly resolved a suspicious double death case by arresting a doctor accused of murdering his elderly uncle and aunt to settle gambling debts. The victims, Chandrappa and Jayamma, an aged couple living in Bhootanagudi, Bhadravati town, were discovered dead in their beds on January 19.

Initial appearances suggested peaceful passing during sleep, but the complete absence of their jewellery triggered immediate suspicion and led to a formal complaint. The couple resided independently from their three sons, who nonetheless called daily to monitor their well-being.

On January 19, repeated attempts to reach them failed. After one son alerted another, who also received no answer, they asked a neighbour to visit the house. The neighbour found the door open, entered, and saw both elderly individuals lying motionless on separate beds. Foam was visible around Chandrappa’s mouth. The neighbour promptly informed the sons, who hurried to the scene and transported the couple to a hospital, only to learn they had already passed away.

The missing jewellery pointed strongly to foul play, prompting police to register the matter as an unnatural death and begin thorough inquiries. Suspicion soon centred on Dr. Mallesh, Chandrappa’s nephew and son of his younger brother. A qualified medical professional employed at a well-known private hospital in Shivamogga, he had reportedly run up enormous debts through betting activities and borrowed large sums from multiple sources.

Recently, he had approached his uncle requesting a loan of Rs. 15 lakh, which Chandrappa declined, stating he had no funds available. A short time later, Dr. Mallesh returned to the couple’s home, expressing worry about their health. He requested their previous medical documents, mentioned knee and leg discomfort, and offered to administer treatment.

Using this pretext, he injected each with approximately 50 mg of Propofol, an anaesthetic normally given in tiny 5 mg doses during surgical procedures. Both victims quickly became unconscious. He then positioned them on their beds as if resting, removed Jayamma’s Mangalsutra and bangles, took Chandrappa’s neck chain, and gathered other gold items from the residence before leaving. Part of the jewellery was pledged to repay some debts, while the remaining stayed in his possession.

The sons grew doubtful when Dr. Mallesh showed no interest in visiting even after learning of the deaths. They informed police about visible injection marks on both parents’ hands and the estimated half-kilogram of missing gold ornaments. Confronted with the evidence, Dr. Mallesh admitted to committing the crime. Preliminary medical findings verified Propofol overdose as the cause of death.

Superintendent of Police Nikhil praised the Bhadravati Old Town police team for their rapid and skilful investigation, which cracked what appeared to be an unsolvable case in just 24 hours. He declared rewards for the officers who contributed to the breakthrough.