Bengaluru, 5 May

A 43-year-old man has been arrested by the Basaveshwaranagar police for allegedly killing his wife over dowry demands.

The accused, Lokesh Kumar Gehlot alias Lalit, lived with his wife Namitha and their child in Mahaganapathi Nagar. He owned the Colours Digital Studio in Cubbonpet.

Police said he had been forcing his wife Namitha to get money from her parents to expand his business and purchasing a plot in the city. This led to frequent quarrels between the two, they said.

On 24 April, during a phone call from her brother around 6pm, Namitha reportedly asked Lokesh to put the call on speaker. An argument broke out between the couple, which quickly escalated.

In a fit of rage, Lokesh allegedly strangled her to death and fled from the house. The murder came to light when the house owner, Bhupender, informed the police.

The police registered a case and arrested Lokesh on Sunday.