Bengaluru: A 31-year-old general surgeon has been arrested for allegedly killing his wife, also a doctor, six months after her death was initially believed to be from natural causes. Police said the case took a turn after a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report confirmed the presence of an anaesthetic substance in the victim’s organs.
Dr Mahendra Reddy, a general surgeon at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, was arrested following the forensic report that found traces of Propofol, a controlled anaesthetic used only in hospitals, in the body of his wife, Dr Kruthika M Reddy, 29, a dermatologist.
The arrest followed months of investigation driven by Kruthika’s sister, Dr Nikitha M Reddy, a radiologist, who doubted her sibling’s death was natural.
Sister’s persistence turns ‘natural’ death into murder probe
Kruthika was found unresponsive on April 24 and rushed to Cauvery Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Family members initially believed she had died of natural causes.
However, Nikitha’s suspicions prompted the hospital to file a medico-legal case with Marathahalli police, who registered it as an unnatural death. Her persistence later proved critical as forensic evidence supported her doubts.
Forensic report points to lethal anaesthetic
The FSL report revealed traces of Propofol not only in Kruthika’s organs but also in the medical equipment allegedly used by her husband.
Police said Mahendra administered the drug between April 21 and April 23 while treating Kruthika at her parents’ home for what he claimed was gastritis.
“All the medical equipment used by Mahendra for Kruthika’s treatment was seized following her death,” Whitefield Deputy Commissioner of Police K Parashurama said. “Initially, it appeared to be a natural death, but the post-mortem and forensic reports confirmed traces of Propofol in both the equipment and the victim’s organs.”
Mahendra was arrested in Manipal, Udupi district, about 400 kilometres from Bengaluru.
Husband shows no emotion during interrogation
After his arrest, Mahendra was produced before a magistrate Wednesday and remanded to police custody for nine days.
Investigators said he remained calm during questioning, insisting that his wife’s death was natural. Police suspect his medical knowledge and familiarity with Kruthika’s health allowed him to plan the act with “clinical precision.”
Family points to financial dispute, affair motive
Kruthika’s brother-in-law, Mohan Reddy TS, told The Indian Express that the family spent about Rs2 crore on the couple’s wedding in May 2024.
“After treating Kruthika April 23, Mahendra went to sleep in another room at her parents’ house. The next morning, she was found unresponsive,” Mohan said. “Mahendra insisted that a post-mortem wasn’t needed and wanted to cremate her in his hometown, but my wife refused to allow it without an autopsy.”
Police are investigating whether a financial dispute or a suspected extramarital affair motivated the killing. “In October 2024, Mahendra had sought financial help from Kruthika’s family to set up a hospital in Bengaluru but was told to gain more experience first. He seemed unhappy,” Mohan said.
Timeline of events
- April 21: Kruthika complained of gastritis. Mahendra began IV treatment at home.
- April 22: Mahendra took Kruthika to her parents’ house, saying she needed rest. He returned that night to give another IV dose.
- April 23: Kruthika texted Mahendra saying the IV was uncomfortable. He told her not to remove it and later administered another dose that night.
- April 24: Kruthika was found unresponsive in the morning. She was taken to Cauvery Hospital, where she was declared dead.
The sequence of events, combined with forensic findings, led police to reclassify the case as murder.
From promising doctor to victim of alleged medical crime
Dr Kruthika, a dermatologist known for her dedication, earned her MBBS from Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences, her MD from Navodaya Medical College in Raichur, and later obtained a DNB in Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy from NBEMS.
She was preparing to open her own clinic, Skin & Scalpel, May 4, just weeks after her death.
Orissa POST – Odisha’s No.1 English Daily
