CEO of Bengaluru startup kills 4-year-old son in Goa, arrested while returning by taxi

CHITRADURGA: The founder and CEO of a startup in Bengaluru was arrested by the Aimangala police on a request from the Goa police, for killing her four-year-old son in a service apartment in Candolin, North Goa.

Suchana Seth, the founder and CEO of Mindful AI Lab in Bengaluru, had strangulated her four-year-old son and was returning to Bengaluru by taxi. She had stuffed the body of her son in a bag. She had checked in at the service apartment along with her son, but when she checked out yesterday, she was alone and the child was missing. The service apartment staff, who noticed blood stains, immediately informed the police.

The service apartment in Candolim where Suchana Seth had checked into.

The Goa police contacted the driver of the taxi and when Suchana was questioned about the child, she replied that she had sent him with a relative. When the police did not find the child at the address she mentioned, they called the taxi driver again and directed him to take the vehicle to the nearest police station. Accordingly, the taxi driver reached Aimangala police station early today morning where Suchana Seth was arrested.

Forensic officials at the service apartment; (right) the Toyota Innova taxi which Suchana Seth had hired from Goa.

On checking the vehicle, the Aimangala police found the boy’s body in a suitcase which was in the boot of the taxi. The body has been shifted to the mortuary in Hiriyur for post-mortem examination and the Aimangala police were awaiting the arrival of the Goa police to hand over the accused.

The Goa police have also informed the boy’s father Venkatraman, who is abroad. He is expected to arrive in Hiriyur today evening. Hiriyur government hospital medical officer Dr Kumar Naik said the autopsy will be conducted after the Goa police and the family members of the boy arrive. The autopsy will reveal the cause of death, he added.

Suchana and her estranged husband Venkatraman have applied for divorce.

North Goa SP Nidhin Valsan said, “She had checked into a service apartment in Candolim area along with a four-year-old boy. On the intervening night of January 7 and 8, that is early on January 8, she demanded a taxi to Bengaluru. People working in the hotel said that travelling by taxi to Bengaluru will be very expensive compared to flight, but she insisted on a taxi, and a Toyota Innova taxi was arranged by the hotel staff. She immediately checked out and left from Goa. After she had checked out, when the hotel staff were cleaning the room, they found some red-coloured stains which they suspected to be blood. Another suspicion was that when she came, there was a boy and when she left, there as no boy. The hotel staff then immediately informed the police”.

Further he said, “A police team checked the hotel room and Inspector Paresh contacted the driver and spoke to Suchana Seth to inquire about the boy. She replied that the boy was asked to stay with one of her friends in Margao. The address she mentioned was found to be fake. The police inspector contacted the taxi driver again and he took the vehicle to the nearest police station. The Aimangala police found the body of the boy in the taxi. Prima facie, it seems to be murder. She has been brought on transit remand to Goa”.
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