Retired DGP Om Prakash murdered, wife arrested

Pallavi threw chilli powder at Ex-Top Cop; tied him up, stabbed him with kitchen knife: Police

Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) Om Prakash (68), was found murdered at his Bengaluru residence last evening. According to Police sources, he was allegedly killed by his wife, Pallavi, following a heated argument over a property dispute.

This morning, the HSR Layout Police Station officers formally arrested Pallavi after she was interrogated for over 12 hours following the crime. Preparations are underway to present her before the Court this evening. Om Prakash’s son, Karthikesh, filed a complaint regarding the brutal murder of his father.

Investigators believe the altercation turned violent around 4 pm on the ground floor of their three-storey home in HSR Layout. During the fight, Pallavi reportedly threw chilli powder at him, tied him up and stabbed him multiple times using two kitchen knives, Police said.

He also suffered injuries from a glass bottle. His body was found with stab wounds to the abdomen, chest, neck, and back of the head, lying in a pool of blood.

Pallavi and their daughter were present in the house at the time. Police say the daughter, who was upstairs, is not suspected of being involved. The couple’s daughter-in-law is believed to have arrived later.

Video call to a friend

Shortly after the incident, Pallavi made a video call to the wife of another retired IPS Officer, allegedly stating she had “killed a monster.” She also dialled the emergency helpline 112, prompting Police and forensic officers to rush to the scene. Two weapons were recovered from the home and no signs of forced entry were found. Pallavi and her daughter were detained at the scene and questioned for over 12 hours. Police are still probing whether the daughter played any role in the murder.

Property dispute

Initial investigations point to a long-standing property dispute as the motive. Pallavi was reportedly upset over her husband’s decision to transfer property to his sisters. Sources say the couple had been experiencing deep marital discord, with frequent arguments in recent months. Pallavi had allegedly voiced her grievances publicly, even staging a protest outside their home on one occasion.

After the attack, Pallavi is said to have sat silently on a chair for nearly 10 minutes as her husband lay dying. Om Prakash, an IPS Officer of the 1981 batch, was appointed Karnataka DGP in March 2015. He had previously served as Head of Fire and Emergency Services and Home Guards. A native of Bihar, he held a Master’s degree in Geology.

Reacting to the incident, Karnataka Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwar said, “Retired DGP Om Prakash has been murdered. Preliminary information indicates his wife committed the crime, but the investigation is ongoing. He worked with me when I was Home Minister in 2015 — he was a good officer and a good human being. This shouldn’t have happened. The investigation will reveal the full truth.”