Woman found dead in farmhouse, family vandalises home, sets fire to godown; husband’s body found in lake

MANDYA: A couple were found dead within hours of each other, but not before some high drama prevailed, at Gaddehosur village in KR Pet taluk. While the woman was found dead in their house on Tuesday evening, the husband was found dead in a water body about 500 metres from their house on Wednesday morning.

Mohan and Swathi had married two years ago and the couple have a one-year-old daughter. The couple regularly had domestic disputes. Mohan owns a 25- acre farm and the family lived in their farm house. On Tuesday evening, when no one was at home, Swathi committed suicide by hanging from the ceiling fan.

The husband was found dead in a lake.

When Swathi’s brother came to her house along with her child, he found her hanging. Swathi’s family members then arrived at the house and insisted that it was not suicide and accused the husband of murder. Mohan, by then, had fled from the house.

Angered by her death, Swathi’s family members ransacked the entire house, broke the furniture and even set fire to a copra godown. On Wednesday morning, Mohan’s body was found floating in a water body near their house.

Swathi’s grieving parents and brother.

Swathi’s parents have lodged a complaint with the Kikkeri police against Mohan’s parents Manje Gowda and Rathnamma alleging murder and dowry harassment. The police have taken up further investigation.

“Swathi was found hanging in the farmhouse. By the time the police arrived, about 500 members of her family had assembled at the farmhouse, vandalised the house and set fire to a shed nearby. The police then brought the situation under control. We convinced the crowd around 3 am and shifted the body for post-mortem. Today, Mohan’s body was found in a lake near the farmhouse and was shifted to the mortuary”, said Police Superintendent Mallikarjun Baladandi.