In a shocking case from Bengaluru, police have arrested Dr Mahendra Reddy, a 32-year-old general surgeon from Victoria Hospital, for the murder of his wife, dermatologist Dr Kruthika Reddy. Investigators say Mahendra killed her using anesthesia in a meticulously planned crime disguised as a medical emergency.
The Case That Shook Bengaluru
Months after Dr Kruthika Reddy’s sudden death was initially considered natural, forensic evidence revealed that her husband had administered a fatal dose of anesthesia. The Bengaluru doctor murder case has stunned the medical fraternity across Karnataka.
According to police, Mahendra used his professional expertise and his wife’s medical history to plan the act “with clinical precision.”
“Mahendra had planned his wife’s murder meticulously. He knew her medical vulnerabilities and exploited them,” said Whitefield DCP M Parashuram.
Meticulous Planning and Execution
On April 21, 2025, Mahendra administered intravenous (IV) medication to Kruthika, claiming it was for gastric discomfort. Over the next two days, he continued to give her doses under the guise of treatment.
On April 24, Kruthika was found unresponsive at her parents’ home in Marathahalli. Despite being a doctor himself, Mahendra allegedly did not attempt CPR. She was declared dead on arrival at a local hospital.
Subsequent postmortem and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reports detected anesthetic substances in her organs, confirming that her death was not natural.
From Medical Mystery to Murder Case
What began as a medical mystery soon turned into a murder investigation after Kruthika’s father, K. Muni Reddy, filed a complaint. Police then reclassified the case from an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) to murder.
Authorities said Mahendra was reportedly upset after learning about his wife’s pre-existing health issues — a discovery that allegedly triggered resentment and led to the killing.
Murder Disguised as Medical Tragedy
Even after his wife’s death, Mahendra reportedly remained calm, telling others it was a medical tragedy. However, forensic findings and digital evidence pointed toward deliberate poisoning.
Police charged Mahendra under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh praised investigators for “unraveling a murder disguised as a medical case.”
About Dr Kruthika Reddy
Dr Kruthika Reddy, aged 28, was a dermatologist who completed her MBBS from Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and her MD from Navodaya Medical College, Raichur. She had also earned a DNB in Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy.
Kruthika was preparing to open her own clinic, Skin & Scalpel, in early May 2025. Her colleagues described her as compassionate and dedicated, saying her death was “a betrayal of trust by the person closest to her.”
