Mother Kills Toddler and Herself Amid Fear of Husband’s Arrest in 16-Year-Old Case
In a tragic incident at Heranje Aruru, Udupi, a 23-year-old woman named Sushmitha ended the life of her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter Shreshta before taking her own life on Monday afternoon. Authorities believe she acted out of fear over the pending arrest of her husband.
The distress began sixteen years ago when Sushmitha’s husband, Subhash Naik, his brother, and four others were involved in a case related to an attempted murder following a neighborhood dispute. Recently, a court ruled for their arrest, leading to frequent police visits to their home to serve notices.
On Monday morning, police arrived again with an arrest warrant and questioned the family about Subhash’s whereabouts. He was not home, as he had traveled to Bengaluru to file an appeal in the case. Shortly after, Sushmitha called her relatives expressing worry about not having money to secure her husband’s release. Before help could arrive, the tragic event unfolded.
Authorities recovered a suicide note in which Sushmitha accepted full responsibility for the incident. Udupi’s senior police officers visited the scene to investigate the matter further. According to initial findings, the court verdict confirming Subhash’s involvement in the 2009 case appears to have driven Sushmitha to this extreme decision. The investigation is ongoing to uncover more details.
