Man shoots wife dead after argument over phone conversation in Virajpet

MADIKERI: Angry that his wife was speaking on the phone to someone else, a man shot his wife dead at Betolli village in Virajpet taluk on Saturday. He later surrendered before the police along with the gun.

The deceased is Shilpa Seethamma (40), a former gram panchayat member, while the accused is Nayakanda Bopanna (45). Shilpa was on the phone with someone on Friday night to which Bopanna objected and the couple had an argument. On Saturday morning too, they argued over the same issue and, in a fit of anger, Bopannna shot Shilpa dead.

The two had fallen in love 12 years ago and got married and the couple have two children. Over the last few days, the couple had been getting into arguments over trivial issues, family members said. Bopanna owns a service station at Arji village and also a coffee estate. Shilpa was gram panchayat member from 2012-17.

The Virajpet police visited the spot and have taken up further investigation after registering a case.