Accused in triple murder case of planned disposal of body before father and daughter visit

A day after the arrest of Shweta, the elder daughter of a Puducherry family in connection with a gruesome triple murder in Bengaluru, police have intensified efforts to trace her live-in partner Kenneth, who remains absconding.

Six special teams were deployed across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to trace him.

Investigators said the couple initially planned to murder only Shweta’s mother Muthulakshmi and dispose of her body elsewhere. According to the probe, the pair intended to move the body during the night after killing her.

However, their plan was disrupted when Shweta’s father and younger sister returned home around 8.30 pm on the day of the crime. Police believe the unexpected arrival forced the accused to kill two more family members, resulting in a triple murder.

Investigation revealed that apart from the flat he occupied in KR Puram, Kenneth had rented a second one-bedroom flat in Gururaj Layout near HAL. The police suspect that the rented apartment was used to move and hide the victim’s body. The flat, rented for ₹15,000 per month, is now under scrutiny after police officers reportedly found several suspicious items during a search.

Investigators said Shweta and Kenneth visited the apartment with newly purchased suitcases after the murders. During searches of another rented house linked to Kenneth in Doddanekkundi, the police found a plastic drum, a cutter and a hammer. The discovery of these items at the software engineer’s residence raised further suspicions about possible plans to dispose of the bodies.

The police suspect that the accused went straight to the Doddanekkundi house after committing the murders. Investigators believe they mixed chili powder with hot water and sprayed it inside the compound, allegedly to destroy evidence. Allegedly, blood-stained hands were also washed there.

Although Kenneth moved to an apartment in Sigehalli almost two months ago, he kept the older rented house. Investigators are looking into whether the property was held specifically to hide or destroy the bodies. This led the police to suspect that Muthulakshmi’s body was temporarily kept in the toilet as part of an alleged disposal plan.

According to the police, Shweta, who was in a live-in relationship with Kenneth, owed him around ₹30 lakh. The couple often argued with her family over the share of the family property. Investigators suspect the murders were committed after her parents refused to divide the property.

Shweta was produced before the 47th ACMM court, which sent her to police custody for seven days.

Published – 25 Jun 2026 21:23 IST