The second accused in the Bengaluru triple murder case, 25-year-old Kenneth, was arrested in Puducherry on Thursday, June 25. The arrest comes days after his live-in partner Shwetha was taken into custody for allegedly killing her parents and younger sister.
According to the police, Kenneth and Shwetha have allegedly confessed to their roles in the murders of Shwetha's father Somasundar, mother Muthulakshmi, and younger sister Supriya, whose bodies were found at their home in Seegehalli under the KR Pura police station limits on June 23.
The police said Shwetha was arrested in Puducherry on June 24, two days after the murders came to light. During interrogation, she allegedly confessed to conspiring with Kenneth to kill her family members and revealed details of his involvement. A court remanded her to 15 days of police custody on Thursday.
Based on information obtained during her interrogation and other evidence collected during the investigation, police tracked Kenneth's movements to Puducherry.
With assistance from the Puducherry police, Kenneth was traced near Puducherry Beach and arrested on June 25.
In a video statement, Puducherry Police assistant sub-inspector Ramalingam said Kenneth was first spotted at a bar on Thursday night and placed under surveillance by a joint team of the Puducherry and Bengaluru police. He was apprehended after a chase of over 200 metres. During the arrest, Kenneth allegedly assaulted the officers, leaving Ramalingam and a few other policemen injured.
Police said Kenneth and Shwetha fled Bengaluru separately after the murders. Although they travelled via different routes, both eventually reached Puducherry independently.
The murders came to light on Monday night. While Muthulakshmi and Supriya died inside the house, Somasundar managed to run out of the apartment and alert neighbours before collapsing. He later succumbed to his injuries.
Police said Shwetha was initially traced near a bus stand in Puducherry. During the early stages of questioning, she allegedly claimed she had acted alone. However, the police said technical and circumstantial evidence suggested Kenneth's involvement, prompting further investigation.
Police suspect the murders were premeditated and are examining the sequence of events leading up to the killings. The police had earlier said the accused had allegedly planned to dispose of the bodies, but Shwetha's father and sister returned home unexpectedly, altering the course of the crime.