Bengaluru techie kills wife: How a friend’s claim of 'divorce notice' sparked trigger

BENGALURU: Police probing the murder of a 39-year-old assistant bank manager with Union Bank of India are searching for an alleged divorce notice that the deceased, Bhuvaneshwari, was said to have sent to her husband, the accused Balamurugan, 40.

According to Magadi Road police, Balamurugan claimed he was enraged after learning that Bhuvaneshwari had sent him a divorce notice, which he said led him to shoot her. However, police have so far been unable to trace any such notice. Police initially suspected it may have been sent digitally, but no evidence supporting this claim was found on the accused’s phone.


Balamurugan reportedly told police that he came to know about the alleged divorce notice through a friend who was also acquainted with Bhuvaneshwari.

The friend has since been summoned, and his statement is being recorded. “At this stage, we are not certain whether any divorce notice was sent, as claimed by the accused. We have found that some data was deleted from his phone, which will be sent to forensic experts for recovery,” a senior police officer said.

The officer added the accused’s house is yet to be searched for any incriminating material linked to the crime.
Police further said Balamurugan, an MCA graduate who had quit his job at a private firm, confessed to having planned his wife’s murder well in advance. Police believe it had been in the making for nearly a year. As part of the alleged plan, he is said to have procured a pistol illegally much earlier and also purchased a knife as a backup option.

After shifting to Cholourpalya, Balamurugan allegedly searched for Bhuvaneshwari and spotted her a few days before the incident. Police said he closely observed the route she regularly took while returning home from the bank.

On Tuesday evening, he allegedly shot her from behind. After the first bullet struck her head and she collapsed, he reportedly fired two more rounds, hitting her head, back and left hand. While the accused claimed he procured the pistol and ammunition from Bihar, police said this is yet to be verified. Investigators are analysing his call detail records.

Police found that Bhuvaneshwari had recently been promoted and transferred to the Basaveshwaranagar branch, and that the transfer was not at her request.

Further investigation is under way.

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