Mysuru: The Fifth Additional District and Sessions Court has sentenced a man convicted of killing his wife to life imprisonment.

Purushotham, aged 45 years and a native of Kestur village, Yalandur taluk, Chamarajanagar district, was accused of strangling his wife Roopa to death, on Sept. 20, 2023. As he was proven guilty, Judge P.J. Somashekar awarded him life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs. 10,000.

Purushotham had married Roopa on Nov. 27, 2016 and the couple have a child. At the time of marriage, Roopa’s family had presented a wrist watch, clothes, Rs. 1 lakh cash, 12 gram gold chain to him.  He later started harassing his wife for money and valuables. He was owing debt to many in the village and had been forcing his wife to take a loan of Rs. 1 lakh from a society. When she refused to help him, he had snatched her gold mangalya chain. Village elders had advised Purushotham to mend his ways, following which he had promised to take care of his wife & kid and went to work as daily-wager at Ramanagara.

Purushotham returned home from Ramanagara for Gowri festival on Sept. 17, 2023. After three days, on Sept. 20, he picked up a quarrel again with his wife and asked her to either give away her valuables or arrange money from her parents, to bring wedding photo album. Same night at around 10.30 pm, he murdered his wife by strangling her throat, besides pressing her mouth and nose tightly from his hand and fled from the spot.

Dy.SP V. Govindaraju and the then Kavalande Police Inspector Chandrashekar, who conducted the investigation, had submitted a charge-sheet to the Court. Public Prosecutor A.N. Madhu argued on behalf of the Govt.