‘Anaesthesia of death’: How Bengaluru doctor’s 'cure' became a crime; killed dermatologist wife in cold blood

BENGALURU: A city-based surgeon was charged with murdering his wife, a Victoria Hospital dermatologist, by administering an overdose of an anaesthetic under the pretext of treating her.

The autopsy report from the forensic science laboratory (FSL) completely changed the contours of the case, turning it from one of unnatural death to that of a cold-blooded murder, police said.



The victim, Kritika M Reddy, 28, died in April this year, but police arrested the accused, Dr Mahendra Reddy G S, 31, only on Tuesday after the FSL report confirmed the presence of an anaesthetic in the viscera samples of Kritika.

The couple was married in March 2024.

Read also: ‘Never gave anaesthesia’: Big twist in Bengaluru dermatologist murder

Accused Mahendra is a surgical resident at the Institute of Gastroenterology Sciences and Organ Transplant (IGOT). He was remanded in seven-day police custody.

Doctor claimed he was trying to treat wife for gastro issues

Sharing details of the case, city police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said the FSL report clearly defined the presence of Propofol, an intravenous anaesthetic used to induce unconsciousness for surgery.
“We had registered a case of unnatural death. Now, her father, K Muni Reddy, has filed a fresh complaint, accusing his son-in-law of administering an overdose of the anaesthetic to kill the victim,” the police official said.

Investigation revealed that Mahendra had moved Kritika to Cauvery Hospital in Marathahalli on April 24, saying she had fallen unconscious at their Munnekolal residence in Whitefield. However, doctors declared her brought dead.

As the doctors issued a death memo, autopsy was imperative, but Mahendra pleaded with Cauvery Hospital and police, asking them to refrain from an autopsy. He also made his father-in-law pitch a similar plea to police. Cops, though, went ahead with the autopsy.

ACP (east) Ramesh Banoth said: “According to the husband, he was trying to treat his wife who was suffering from gastrointestinal issues for a long time.”

According to police sources, Kritika’s ill-health disturbed her husband.


Read also: 'Toxic chemicals found inside body'

“Soon after their marriage, Mahendra discovered that Kritika had several health issues. He was also angry with Kritika’s parents for hiding the truth about her medical condition from him,” an investigating officer said.

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