Man bludgeons wife to death, ends life by jumping into lake in Haveri village

HAVERI: A 60-year-old man killed his wife by smashing her head with a wooden log and later committed suicide by jumping into a lake near their house at Najikalakamapur village in the taluk on Thursday night. The deceased is Lalithavva (55) and her husband is Siddappa Dabbannavar.

Siddappa was an alcoholic and would frequently quarrel with his wife as he suspected her fidelity. In a fit of rage during an argument on Thursday night, he hit Lalithavva on the head with a wooden log, causing her to collapse on the spot. When his youngest daughter tried to intervene, he pushed her aside and smashed Lalithavva’s head and later ended his life by jumping in to a lake, Police Superintendent Yashoda Vantagodi said.

Since their house was on the outskirts of the village, no one came to know of the murder and suicide. On Friday morning, Siddappa’s body was fished out of the lake. He also objected to his wife speaking to other youngsters and even suspected that she had an affair with their son Omkareshwar, the SP said.

The couple had three children including a son. The family had arranged the engagement of the youngest daughter a couple of days ago and the marriage was fixed with a youth from Hunasikatti village in Ranebennur taluk.