Retired ISRO Employee Arrested After Allegedly Killing Wife in Bengaluru Over Her Future

In Shorts

• Senior ex-ISRO employee accused of strangling wife in their Bengaluru apartment.
• Alleged motive linked to fear about his wife’s future and ongoing depression treatment.
• Police arrested the suspect; daughter in the United States has been informed.

BENGALURU, KARNATAKA: In a disturbing case of domestic violence, a 65-year-old retired Indian Space Research Organisation employee has been arrested for allegedly killing his wife inside their Bengaluru residence on Wednesday morning, police officials confirmed.

The incident unfolded around 11 am at the couple’s apartment in the Avalahalli area of Whitefield, when the body of 60-year-old Sandhya Sri was discovered inside the Virtuoso apartment complex. Authorities identified the accused as Nageshwar Rao, a former ISRO staffer.

According to preliminary police investigations, Rao allegedly strangled Sandhya with a towel inside their home. Following the attack, Rao remained at the scene instead of fleeing and reportedly contacted an acquaintance, who then alerted law enforcement. Officers responded promptly and took Rao into custody without further incident.

Police said that Rao had been undergoing treatment for depression and told officers that his extreme actions were driven by fear about who would look after his wife after his own death. Officials said there was no indication of arguments or financial disputes leading up to the killing.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Saidulu Adavath of the Whitefield division stated that the motive stemmed largely from the accused’s anxieties rather than any documented conflict between the couple. A murder case has been registered and investigators continue to examine Rao’s mental state.

The couple’s only daughter, who resides in the United States, has been informed of the tragedy and is expected to return to India. The body of the deceased has been sent for postmortem examination as part of routine procedures.

As the community reels from the shocking news, local authorities have urged that instances of emotional distress and mental health challenges be taken seriously to prevent similar tragedies.