Karnataka surgeon held for allegedly killing doctor wife with anaesthetic drug

BENGALURU: A 31-year-old surgeon was arrested by the Marathahalli police on Tuesday for allegedly killing his wife, a dermatologist, by administering a suspected anaesthetic drug. The accused, Dr Mahendra Reddy, was arrested from Manipal in Udupi district, nearly six months after his wife, Dr Kruthika Reddy (28), was found dead at her residence on April 23, 2025. Initially, a case of unnatural death was registered. However, a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report confirmed the presence of Propofol, a powerful anaesthetic drug, in multiple organs. A murder case was registered on Tuesday based on a complaint filed by Kruthikas father. Based on the post-mortem examination, the police concluded that Kruthika's death was caused by the anaesthetics. According to preliminary investigations, Mahendra allegedly killed his wife after he found that she had a health condition that had been concealed before their marriage. Police also suspect that he was having an affair with another woman. He is being questioned to ascertain the motive behind the murder. The police said, both Mahendra and Kruthika were contract doctors at Victoria Hospital. The couple married on May 26, 2024, and were living in Gunjur. Within a few months, Mahendra allegedly began harassing Kruthika mentally and financially, demanding money from her family to build a hospital. In the last week of April, Mahendra allegedly administered intravenous (IV) injections to Kruthika twice, citing gastric issues. On the morning of April 24, she was rushed to a nearby hospital after complaining of uneasiness but was declared brought dead. After her death, Mahendra and his family opposed a postmortem examination. He even convinced his father-in-law not to conduct the postmortem. However, Kruthikas elder sister, Dr Nikitha Reddy, a radiologist, raised suspicions and insisted on a detailed investigation. She later filed an unnatural death complaint at Marathahalli Police Station. A senior police officer said that the Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) team collected crucial evidence from the accuseds house, including IV fluids and syringes containing traces of Propofol. Police said Mahendra allegedly used his professional access to operation theatre (OT) and ICU drugs to execute the murder and later attempted to portray it as a natural death. Investigators are now examining how he used his medical knowledge to plan and conceal the crime.