Man held in Bengaluru for allegedly strangling wife after domestic dispute

Bengaluru Police arrested a 24-year-old Bihar man for allegedly strangling his wife following repeated domestic disputes. Police said Dhiraj Kumar confessed to killing Reema Kumari in their rented room before fleeing to Bihar, where a special team traced and arrested him

Bengaluru: A 24-year-old man from Bihar arrested on charges of killing his wife and fleeing to his native state has confessed to police that he allegedly strangled his wife to death in Bengaluru following repeated domestic disputes over her alleged habit of remaining glued to her mobile phone, making social media reels, and insisting that he return with her to Bihar.

The accused, who fled to his native state after the murder, has been arrested by the Bengaluru Police. The accused has been identified as Dhiraj Kumar, a resident of East Champaran district in Bihar. He was arrested by a special team of the Karnataka’s Kumbalagodu Police after being traced to Bihar in connection with the murder of his wife, Reema Kumari.

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According to the police, the couple had fallen in love, got married around 10 months ago, and moved to Bengaluru without informing Reema’s family. They were living in a rented room on the fourth floor of a building in Gerupalya under the Kumbalagodu police station limits on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

During interrogation, Dhiraj allegedly confessed that after their marriage, Reema gradually lost interest in him. Police said he claimed that she spent most of her time glued to her mobile phone, frequently making social media reels, resisted having sexual relations with him, cooked only for herself, ate before he returned from work, and did not serve him food at night.

Police further said that Reema was repeatedly pressuring Dhiraj to leave Bengaluru and return to Bihar, which became another source of frequent arguments between the couple.

According to the accused’s confession, a heated quarrel broke out between the two over these issues. During the altercation, Reema allegedly hit Dhiraj with a stick. Enraged, Dhiraj allegedly used her veil (dupatta) to strangle her to death.

After killing her, the accused allegedly wrapped her face in plastic, covered the body with a bed sheet, left it inside the rented room, and fled to Bihar in an attempt to evade arrest, police said.

The crime came to light on July 29, when the owner of the four-storey building received information from one of Reema’s acquaintances about a foul smell coming from the couple’s room. On entering the room, the owner found Reema’s decomposed body wrapped in a bed sheet near the toilet and immediately alerted the police.

Based on the complaint, the Kumbalagodu Police registered a case of murder and destruction of evidence and launched an investigation. A special investigation team, working under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police Anita B. Haddannavar and the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police Satyavathi K., traced the accused to Bihar and arrested him. The team was led by Inspector Kumar of Kumbalagodu Police Station, along with Police Sub-Inspectors Dharmaraj, Rohith V. Talawar, Sridhar, and other personnel.

Police said the accused has confessed to the crime during interrogation. Investigators have also collected scientific evidence and CCTV footage as part of the probe. Further investigation is underway.