A woman was shot dead on a busy road in west Bengaluru on Tuesday, December 24, by her estranged husband, who later walked into Magadi Road police station and surrendered. The incident happened a week after she sent him a divorce notice.
The victim, Bhuvaneshwari, 39, was an assistant manager at the Basaveshwaranagar branch of Union Bank of India and lived in Rajajinagar with her two children. She was shot at close range by her husband, Balamurugan, 40, on 1st Main Road in the Rajajinagar Industrial Area around 6.30 pm.
Police said the accused fired four rounds at close range as she was returning home from work. He used to work at Capgemini, a multinational IT company.
Bhuvaneshwari sustained gunshot injuries to the head and hands. Passers-by and a Hoysala patrol rushed her to a private hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead. The shooting triggered panic in the busy area, with commuters and pedestrians running for cover after hearing the gunshots.
Minutes after the incident, Balamurugan walked into the Magadi Road Police Station, confessed to the crime and surrendered. Police said the pistol used in the shooting has been seized and its source is being verified, including whether it was licensed.
The couple, natives of Salem district in Tamil Nadu, were married in 2011 and moved to Bengaluru in 2018 after Balamurugan joined a private software firm. They had been living separately for over a year following prolonged marital discord. While Bhuvaneshwari stayed with their two children, a 12-year-old son and an eight-year-old daughter, in Rajajinagar, Balamurugan was residing alone in KP Agrahara.
According to the police, the couple’s relationship had deteriorated amid frequent arguments, with the accused allegedly suspecting his wife of having another relationship.
Police said Bhuvaneshwari had taken a transfer from the Whitefield branch of the bank to Basaveshwaranagar about six months ago and had shifted to a new residence with her children. The accused later traced her address and moved closer to her neighbourhood a few months ago after quitting his job.
Police said Bhuvaneshwari had sought legal separation, which Balamurugan opposed, and had sent him a divorce notice about a week before the incident.
On Tuesday evening, police said, Balamurugan waited along Bhuvaneshwari’s route as she walked home from work and allegedly followed her before opening fire. He is currently in police custody, and further investigation is underway to determine how the weapon was sourced.