DHARWAD: A day after anaesthesiologist Dr Kiran Honnannavar was found dead with multiple stab wounds and his son injured, also with stab wounds, at their upmarket apartment in Dharwad, police on Thursday detained his wife, Dr Priyanka, in connection with the case.According to police, when they entered the couple’s flat on Wednesday evening, Dr Priyanka, an ophthalmologist, appeared very disturbed and incoherent initially. After opening the door, she wandered around. Later she was found sitting on a bed, oblivious to the happenings around her and calmly scrolling through her mobile phone, while her son lay next to her. The husband’s body was found in an adjacent room.
Dr Kiran had suffered more than eight to ten stab wounds, including injuries to his neck, and was declared dead at the scene. The couple’s eight-year-old son, Nihit, was also found with three to four stab injuries to the chest. He was breathing and was rushed to the hospital. He is recovering, said police.Police chief N Shashikumar said Dr Kiran was stabbed while he was asleep.Investigators looking into Dr Priyanka’s health Injuries on his hands suggested that he had tried to ward off the attack. He added that the killing was not accidental but a premeditated murder. “We are probing from all angles,” said the top cop.Around 1. 30am Thursday, Dr Priyanka was admitted to KMC-RI Hospital after her blood sugar level dropped critically. Doctors said she revealed she had self-administered an insulin injection despite not being diabetic. Hospital superintendent Dr Ishwar Hasabi said she is stable and is expected to be discharged within the next three to four days.Shashikumar said investigators are working to establish the motive behind the alleged attack. They are also trying to ascertain if Dr Priyanka suffered from any mental illness.The incident came to light on Wednesday after Dr Kiran’s family members tried to contact him Anu. Police said later Dr Priyanka took the calls claiming that he was asleep, unwell, or resting. Her inconsistent responses aroused the family’s suspicion. Some relatives then rushed to the couple’s flat. Initially, she refused to open the door. After the family persisted, she opened it, and they found Dr Kiran and Nihit, lying in a pool of blood. The family immediately called the police.According to a family member, Dr Kiran had attended a surgery on Tuesday evening and was scheduled to assist in a caesarean at another hospital on Wednesday noon. When he failed to report for duty, Dr Priyanka allegedly told them that he was asleep and exhausted. The hospital subsequently arranged for another anaesthesiologist.Police said preliminary investigation, including CCTV footage, found no signs of forced entry into the apartment. According to police, Dr Kiran and Dr Priyanka were divorcees and married about 10 years ago. Family members alleged that Priyanka had threatened her husband with a knife three days ago.
