Techie planned wife’s killing months ago: Cops

POlice in Bengaluru say a former IT pro spent months preparing to shoot down his married woman before shot her multiple times in a public industrial country on Tuesday, an attack investigators describe as deliberate and carefully planned.The accused, Balamurugan, 45, was taken into custody after the killing of his wife, Bhuvaneshwari, 39, in Rajajinagar’s Industrial Area. According to the police, he fired five rounds at her in broad daylight, killing her on the spot, before walking into the Magadi Road police station and surrendering.Investigators said three bullets struck Bhuvaneshwari’s head, while one hit her hand and another her back.During questioning, the accused allegedly showed no remorse and told officers, “She should have been punished the same way,” the police said.The investigation has revealed that Balamurugan had resigned from his job in Whitefield several months earlier and had grown deeply suspicious of his wife.Police say he spent about four months planning the killing, researching methods online, including watching videos on how to commit a murder and ensure accurate shooting.The weapon used in the attack was a country-made pistol that police say was purchased illegally in Bihar for ₹80,000.Investigators said Balamurugan travelled to Bihar in July last year, learned how to use the firearm, and later returned to Bengaluru. The pistol and two magazines have been seized.The couple, who married in 2011, had been living apart for more than one and a half years because of ongoing marital disputes, police said. Balamurugan had suspected his wife’s loyalty. Investigators believe the attack was triggered after Bhuvaneshwari recently served him with a legal notice seeking divorce.“His wife was living separately with her children due to family disputes. She had sent a notice to the court seeking divorce. Balamurugan admitted during interrogation that he had murdered his wife for this reason,” GB Raju, inspector at Magadi Road police station, told HT.He added that the accused has been taken into 14 days of police custody, noting that the case involved links to Bihar and that investigators were collecting call detail records to trace his movements and travel.Bhuvaneshwari’s brother, Prakash, said the family had long been aware of tensions in the marriage.He told reporters that after Balamurugan quit his job, his sister became the sole earner and managed the household.He said the accused frequently fought with her over minor issues and had earlier attempted to stab her. He added that the couple’s children, aged 13 and 4, are now left without their mother and that the family is seeking justice.Balamurugan was produced before a court on Wednesday and remanded as the investigation continues.Police said they are examining the full extent of the planning, the illegal procurement of the firearm, and other circumstances surrounding the killing.