Karnataka doctor murdered, son stabbed inside Dharwad home. Wife is suspect

According to police, the only occupants of the apartment at the time of the incident were Dr Kiran, his wife, Dr Priyanka Katanahalli, 42, an ophthalmologist, and their son. Investigators said there were no signs of forced entry into the apartment and suspect Priyanka’s involvement in the crimes.

Wife in shock, says police chief

Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar, who rushed to the spot, said officers found that the child was still breathing and shifted him to a hospital without delay. “When we checked, the child was breathing. We immediately rushed him to the hospital, where he is undergoing treatment,” Shashikumar said while speaking to the media.

The police commissioner said Priyanka appeared to be in shock and was giving incoherent statements during questioning. “She appeared to be in a complete state of shock. She told us she has been taking medication. When questioned, she said, ‘I have been sitting here. I don’t know what to do’, and repeatedly said she did not know,” he added.

“There were only three people inside the house—the husband, wife and child. There are no signs of forced entry. We need to investigate thoroughly what happened and reconstruct the exact sequence of events,” Shashikumar said.

Friends tried to contact the victim

The police said relatives and friends had tried contacting Dr Kiran on Wednesday night. However, Priyanka allegedly told callers that he was resting or had gone to work. Unable to reach him, one of Dr Kiran’s relatives went to the apartment, found the doctor lying in a pool of blood, and alerted the police.

When asked about any domestic dispute or prior arguments in the family, a senior police officer said investigators had yet to establish the background to the incident. “We do not know if the family had any arguments. At this stage, we cannot say anything about the motive,” the officer said.

The police have registered a murder case and are examining CCTV footage from the apartment complex, recording statements of family members and collecting forensic evidence.

Investigators said the exact time of the incident is yet to be established and are awaiting the post-mortem report to determine the cause and time of death.