A Bengaluru man, initially reported to have died of a heart attack, was actually smothered to death

BENGALURU: Carrying out an autopsy on the exhumed body of a 50-year-old daily wage worker, who, according to his wife, had died of a heart attack, revealed that the victim was smothered to death. Police arrested his wife, P Asha, 46, and her alleged lover, Chandrappa, 48, on charges of murdering K Paramesh inside the latter’s Hebbur home in Tumakuru district.According to police, Asha, who worked as housekeeping staff, had an affair with Chandrappa, a cook. As Paramesh discovered it, they decided to eliminate him. An alcoholic, Paramesh downed a few pegs before going to sleep every night. When he was asleep on Jan 29 night, Asha and Chandrappa allegedly smothered him to death. The next morning, Asha called the relatives, saying Paramesh died of a heart attack. He was buried.

However, Paramesh’s elder sister, K Nagamma, filed a police complaint on March 4, suspecting foul play.“Seeing Asha unaffected by Paramesh’s death and her closeness with Chandrappa, Nagamma questioned Asha, asking for details on Paramesh’s death. When Asha made contradictory statements, Nagamma filed the police complaint,” an investigating officer said.