Chintamani, 6 July

Two sisters were allegedly murdered by one of their husbands in a shocking incident at JJ Colony, Chintamani, early on Monday. The accused, Ejaz, 30, a resident of Gulpet in Kolar, allegedly slit the throats of his wife, Shama, 25, and her younger sister, Reshma, 18, while they were asleep, before surrendering to the police.

According to the police, Ejaz left Kolar on his motorcycle early in the morning, reached Chintamani around 6am. and entered his wife's house where the sisters were sleeping. He allegedly stabbed both women in the neck, killing them on the spot. He surrendered at the Gulpet police station around 8.30am. Police subsequently alerted their counterparts in Chintamani.

Chikkaballapura Police Superintendent Kushal Chousky said Shama had been staying at her parental home in Chintamani for the past four months after her mother's death. Police suspect prolonged marital discord may have been the motive behind the crime.

Family members alleged that Shama had endured years of harassment, claiming Ejaz was a habitual drunkard and gambler who frequently assaulted and threatened her and her sisters. They said repeated interventions by elders failed to resolve the disputes, prompting Shama to leave her matrimonial home permanently.