Bengaluru: In a case of premeditated murder, Soladevanahalli police arrested a woman and six others on charges of killing her husband, a cab driver identified as Chandrashekar, 40.
The accused are Nagaraj, 29, Vanaja, 35, Nandan, 25, Prasanna, 26, all residents of Kottigepalya, along with three 17-year-old juveniles. Police said Vanaja, the victim’s wife, and her lover Nagaraj orchestrated the murder by paying a supari (contract killing fee) of Rs 1 lakh, of which Rs 30,000 was given in advance.

The incident occurred on April 26 when Chandrashekar stepped out at 6.30am to have tea at a nearby stall. According to police, the assailants kidnapped him in a car and drove to Arekattedoddi village near Kabbalu in Kanakapura taluk of Ramanagara district. There, in a remote agricultural field, the gang assaulted him and slit his throat.
Later, some locals discovered his Chandrashekar’s body in a pool of blood and alerted Sathanur police, who registered a case of murder. As Chandrashekar’s mother Sarojamma had filed a kidnapping complaint with Soladevanahalli police, the case was transferred there for further investigation.
During probe, it was learnt that Vanaja and Chandrashekar had two children — a 17-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter. Vanaja allegedly had a relationshp with Nagaraj, whom she met a few years ago while working. When Chandrashekar found out about the affair, tensions rose between the couple. Vanaja conspired with Nagaraj to eliminate her husband, police said, and Nagaraj took the help of his friend Nandan and others to execute the crime.
Initially, Vanaja feigned ignorance, but later she confessed to the crime, police said.