Bengaluru Teen and Friends Accused of Murdering Mother and Staging Suicide

Bengaluru, India - A shocking case has emerged from Uttarahalli, South Bengaluru, where a 17-year-old girl and her friends allegedly murdered her 34-year-old mother, Netravathi, and attempted to stage the crime as a suicide. The incident came to light after the teenager, who initially fled the scene, confessed to relatives and police.

Netravathi, a telecaller and helper at a loan recovery firm, lived with her daughter after separating from her husband. According to authorities, the teenager was in a relationship with a 17-year-old school dropout, a friend of her cousin. Netravathi disapproved of the relationship and had warned the boy to stay away, leading to frequent arguments with her daughter.

The crime is believed to have occurred on October 25th. The girl reportedly invited her boyfriend and three other friends, including a 13-year-old boy, to her home. The group met at a mall before heading to the house. Finding Netravathi asleep after drinking, they entered the residence. However, Netravathi awoke and reprimanded her daughter's boyfriend, seizing his phone and threatening to call the police.

In a panic, the teenagers allegedly overpowered Netravathi and strangled her with a towel. Realizing she was dead, they allegedly hanged her body from a ceiling fan using a saree to stage the scene as a suicide.

After the alleged murder, the girl locked the house and stayed with a female friend of her boyfriend for three days, claiming her mother was out of town. However, her suspicious behavior led her to be asked to leave. Meanwhile, Netravathi's partner, who regularly visited her, found the house locked upon returning from a trip.

The case took a turn when the girl visited her grandmother's house in Kaggalipura on October 30th and behaved suspiciously. Her aunt grew wary and questioned her, prompting the girl to confess that her friends had killed her mother and threatened her to remain silent.

Following the confession, police detained four juveniles aged 16-17 for questioning. The 13-year-old boy is also being questioned under juvenile protection guidelines. A kidnapping case, initially filed by Netravathi's sister Anitha when the girl went missing, has now been replaced with a murder case. The case has been registered under Section 103 (punishment for murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West) Anitha B Haddannavar confirmed that five minors were involved in the crime: the girl, her 17-year-old boyfriend, and three other boys aged between 13 and 17. All except the youngest, a Class 7 student, had dropped out of school. The investigation is ongoing.