Sandalwood Supporting Actress Arrested for Murder of Live-in Partner in Bagalagunte

Bangalore Mail Crime Bureau

BENGALURU – A chilling murder investigation has unraveled in North-West Bengaluru after a rented house in Vijayalakshmi Layout, initially presented to a landlord as a home for a “newlywed couple,” became the site of a gruesome crime. Bagalagunte police have arrested three individuals, including a supporting actress from the Kannada film industry, for the alleged murder of her live-in partner.

The accused have been identified as 26-year-old Bindu (also known as Urmila or Urvashi), her alleged lover Vinay Kumar (26), a truck driver, and his associate Dhanush (24). The victim, 45-year-old Mohan Krishna (referred to in some reports as Mohan Rao), was a small-time financier and pigmy collector.

A Web of Relationships

According to police investigations, both Bindu and Krishna were married to other people but had been living separately from their respective spouses. They had been in a relationship for nearly a year and rented the house in Bagalagunte three months ago. Bindu, who has appeared in minor roles in Kannada films such as Bhajarangi, Police Quarters, and Kalabhairava, also worked as an assistant to television serial directors.

The relationship reportedly soured when Bindu fell in love with Vinay and expressed her desire to marry him. Krishna strongly opposed the union, leading to frequent domestic altercations. Fearing that Krishna would remain an obstacle to their marriage, Bindu and Vinay allegedly hatched a plan to eliminate him, recruiting Dhanush by promising him financial assistance to clear his business debts.

The Fatal Night

The crime took place on the night of February 18 during an alcohol party at the residence. Investigators state that a heated argument broke out after an intoxicated Krishna allegedly misbehaved with Bindu. In the ensuing struggle, Vinay reportedly stabbed Krishna repeatedly. To prevent his screams from alerting neighbors, the trio allegedly gagged him with cello tape, wrapping it around his mouth and nose until he suffocated.

The accused then locked the house and fled the scene.

Discovery and Arrest

The murder remained undiscovered for nearly two weeks. It was only on March 1 that neighbors noticed a foul smell emanating from the locked premises and alerted the authorities. Upon breaking entry, police found Krishna’s body in an advanced state of decomposition.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-West) D.L. Nagesh stated that the investigation, fueled by cellphone location tracking and call data records, led to the swift arrest of all three suspects. They have been taken into custody, and further interrogation is underway to establish the exact sequence of events.