How the persistence of Dr Kruthika Reddy's sister for details checkmated anaesthesia murderer Mahendra

If not for the insistence of the victim's sister, the accused Dr Mahendra Reddy G S may have got away with the alleged murder of his wife, reports claim.

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Dermatologist Dr Kruthika M Reddy (26) was allegedly murdered by her husband over her health issues which were hidden from him. There were also said to be financial issues between the two families over the construction of a hospital.

 

After Dr Kruthika breathed her last at Bengaluru's Cauvery Hospital, her older sister Dr Nikitha M Reddy refused to believe her sibling passed away due to natural causes. At that time, nobody, including the doctors who treated Kruthika or the family members, suspected any foul play, given her history of persisting metabolic and gastric issues. However, Dr Nikitha, a radiologist by profession, insisted that they needed to look further.

 

Finally, the hospital reportedly gave in to her pleas to know the exact cause of her death and filed a Medico-Legal Case (MLC) with Marathahalli police, who filed a case of unnatural death.

 

This was pivotal in turning the investigation against Dr Mahendra, the Hindustan Times said in a report, as the forensic report identified traces of Propofol, a controlled anaesthetic used only in hospital surgeries, in Kruthika’s organs. The same was also found in medical equipment allegedly used by her husband, the daily said. It was six months after her death that the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) submitted a detailed report, which exposed the overdose of the drug that led to the arrest of the culprit. Thus, if not for Dr Nikitha's persistence, the husband would never have faced charges.

 

"Bengaluru police have arrested a government hospital doctor in connection with the murder of his wife, a lady doctor, whose suspicious death in April 2025 was initially reported as an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) at Marathahalli Police Station," said Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh.

 

Why was Dr Kruthika killed?

 

According to reports, the accused was disturbed after discovering Kruthika's health issues and was furious that they were hid from him during the time of the marriage.

 

Mahendra began showing neglect towards Kruthika, complaining that she sought her father's consent for even minor household decisions and made her bear personal expenses. The accused allegedly pressured her family to finance the construction of a hospital, but instead, Muni Reddy said he set up a clinic named Skin & Scalpel for the couple's medical practice, PTI reported.

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