Wife arrested in Karnataka ex-DGP Om Prakash murder case
_vb_50.jpeg)
Bengaluru (PTI): Police probing the murder of former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash have arrested his wife Pallavi on a complaint by their son Kartikesh who suspected the involvement of his mother and sister in the killing.
On Monday, a police officer said the case has been transferred to the Central Crime Branch of Bengaluru (CCB) for further investigation.
"The investigating officer in the case has arrested Pallavi Om Prakash (64)," the officer added. Later, she was produced before a judge, who sent her to judicial custody for 14 days.
When police took Pallavi to the crime scene, she told reporters there that "domestic violence" was the reason behind the extreme step.
The body of the former Karnataka police chief, a 1981 batch IPS officer hailing from Bihar, was found in a pool of blood on the ground floor of his three-storey house in the posh HSR Layout in the city on Sunday.
It is learnt that a heated exchange of words led to Pallavi allegedly throwing chilli powder on Prakash's face, police sources said.
As the former police chief scrambled for relief from the burning sensation caused by chilli powder, Pallavi allegedly stabbed him multiple times, killing him on the spot, they said.
Sources claimed that after killing her husband, she made a video call to her friend to say, "I have killed the monster."
In his complaint, Kartikesh alleged that his mother Pallavi had been threatening to kill his father for the past one week. "Due to these threats, my father went to stay at his sister's house," he said.
"Two days ago, my younger sister Kriti went there and pressured my father to return home. She brought him back against his will," Kartikesh alleged.
He said that on Sunday around 5 pm, when he was at the Karnataka Golf Association in Domlur, his neighbour called him to inform him that his father was found lying downstairs.
"I rushed home and found police officers and people present on the spot. My father was lying in a pool of blood with injuries on his head and body. A broken bottle and a knife were found next to his body. He was then taken to St John's Hospital," he explained.
"My mother Pallavi and my sister Kriti used to fight with my father often. I strongly suspect that they are involved in the murder of my father. I request you to initiate legal action in this case," he said in his complaint to the police.
Sources said the murder was the culmination of frequent run-ins between the couple. It is learnt that a dispute over a piece of property in Karnataka's Dandeli was the focal point of the crime.
A few months ago, Pallavi had approached the HSR Layout police station to lodge a complaint. When the staff there refused, she staged a sit-in in front of the police station, sources claimed.
It has also been learnt that Pallavi was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was taking medicines.
Meanwhile, the former top police brass was cremated with full state honours in Bengaluru on Monday after the autopsy. Kartikesh performed the last rites.
Speaking to reporters after the cremation, Kartikesh said, "After yesterday's incident, I lodged a complaint. The police are doing their job, and I have full faith in them. I don't want to comment further as the investigation will reveal everything. Let's wait for that."
The 68-year-old retired IPS officer was a native of Champaran, Bihar, and held a Master's degree in Geology. Prakash was appointed Director General of Police on March 1, 2015.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
3rd T20I: A three-match 'audition' starts for Gill to find his game back
Dharamsala (PTI): The countdown to save his place in the playing XI begins for a beleaguered Shubman Gill, who is likely to get three matches against South Africa to prove his worth before the Indian team management switches to a ‘Plan B’ ahead of the T20 World Cup, starting in six weeks.
As India gear up to play the third T20I against the Proteas on Sunday in sub-10-degree temperatures in the lap of the ice-clad Dhauladhar range, things are suddenly heating up in the Indian dressing room, with the prolonged poor form of skipper Suryakumar Yadav coming under the scanner.
ALSO READ: South Africa level series after de Kock special; Gill, SKY misfire again
Worse, his deputy Shubman Gill, who was pushed into the XI at the expense of a settled Sanju Samson, is not inspiring much confidence.
The South African pace attack featuring Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Ottniel Baartman and Lutho Sipamla — has shown how to bowl on Indian tracks, and the HPCA Stadium strip, offering extra bounce and some movement off the surface, will certainly keep them interested.
ALSO READ: Messi mania grips Kolkata as thousands welcome Argentine icon at 2.26 am
Among all T20 sides, South Africa, in terms of personnel, appears to have the requisite balance to win the trophy in the Indian subcontinent this time. Quinton de Kock’s return, along with the likes of Aiden Markram, Dewald Brevis, Donovan Ferreira, David Miller and all-rounder Jansen, gives their batting an intimidating look.
With only eight games, starting from the third T20I, left before the start of the T20 World Cup title defence, India's under-fire head coach Gautam Gambhir won't be able to afford, two out-of-form top-order batters in the starting line-up.
Being the skipper of the side, Surya will certainly have immunity going into the T20 World Cup despite being completely out of form for the past one year but same can't be said about Gill, who wasn't the original choice as an opener.
Gill's entry into the T20 set-up was a classic case of trying to fix something that ain't broken and things haven't looked good so far.
In this backdrop, Gill would need to bat out of his skin to prove that Ajit Agarkar-led committee wasn't wrong in throwing Samson under the bus for one bad series against England.
The stylish Indian Test and ODI skipper will have to find his T20 game and at least score in two of the three matches if he doesn't want Samson to get his rightful place back or for that matter, find Yashasvi Jaiswal, with a fabulous T20I strike-rate of 165, enter the fray during New Zealand series.
Lack of clarity
==========
While head coach Gambhir is too proud a person to admit but sending Axar Patel as a one drop batter during the second T20I was a "tactical brain fade" from the team's think-tank.
The kind misstep that was taken with Axar's promotion is unlikely to be repeated in the third game where skipper is expected to go back to No.3 where he has got a lot of success in his first few years at the international level.
Similarly, Shivam Dube being sent at number eight due to the shuffling of batting order was another poor call which would need course correction in the next game.
Is there a place for Kuldeep Yadav?
=========================
Kuldeep Yadav is one bowler who has consistently troubled the Proteas batter but in an Indian team where batting till No. 8 is non-negotiable, the left-arm wrist spinner often finds himself getting the rough end of the stick.
At Dharamsala too, he might have to sit out as Kuldeep and Varun Chakravarthy, two non-batters can't be clubbed in the same T20 playing eleven as that would lead to compromise in batting depth.
While Arshdeep hasn't had a good series so far, it will be interesting to find if team management can find a place for Kuldeep in the playing eleven with Hardik Pandya sharing the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah.
The five-match series is currently tied 1-1.
Teams:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, NT Tilak Verma, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Ottniel Baartman, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, George Linde.
Match Starts at 7 pm.
