'Voice note, house dispute': How man killed Bengaluru techie before hanging himself

In the tragic case of Sumant Jain and Padmavathi, a civil engineer and his wife, both were found dead in Laggere, north Bengaluru. The couple had been living together in their rented house in Rajeshwarinagar for around four months. Sumant, who worked as a civil engineer in Nandini Layout, was 32 years old, while Padmavathi, a software engineer from Dharwad district, was 29. The couple had no children and had been married for four years.

According to police, the dispute between the couple started around 1.30am on Thursday, when Sumant sent a WhatsApp voice message to his mother. In the message, he allegedly claimed that Padmavathi had told him, “This house is mine.” This revelation triggered an argument between Sumant and his wife. During the dispute, Sumant allegedly hit Padmavathi on the face and suffocated her with a pillow.

Once Sumant realized that Padmavathi was not breathing, he panicked. He called his mother and told her about the incident before sending her a WhatsApp voice message. Sumant's mother and other family members tried to contact him, but he did not respond. Concerned, they contacted the landlord. Upon arrival, the house was opened and Sumant was found hanging from a ceiling fan in the hall. Padmavathi's body was found inside the house as well.

The exact sequence of events leading to the couple's deaths is yet to be established. The case has been registered, and a detailed investigation is underway.