Bengaluru — A seven-year-old girl was allegedly murdered by her stepfather in the Kumbalagodu area on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Friday, police said. The accused, identified as 29-year-old Darshan, reportedly strangled the child, Siri, following a quarrel with his wife. He has since fled, and a manhunt is underway.

According to authorities, the girl’s mother, Shashikala (28), had married Darshan four months ago after the death of her first husband in 2023. Frequent disputes between the couple had reportedly created a tense household environment.

On Friday, Darshan allegedly stayed home from work while Shashikala was out. During a heated argument, he is said to have lost control and vented his anger on his stepdaughter, strangling her to death. The crime came to light when the mother returned home around 6 PM.

Kumbalagodu police inspector Manjunath Hugar said, “The accused had been working as a clerk in a private firm for the last 10 years. After the crime, he fled the scene. We have registered a case under BNS Section 103 (murder) and launched a search operation to apprehend him.”

Police officials rushed to the scene for a preliminary inspection and sent the child’s body for a post-mortem examination to confirm the cause of death.

“The accused is currently absconding, and we are conducting extensive searches in the area,” a senior police officer said. Authorities have appealed to the public to provide any information that could help in locating the suspect.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting concerns over domestic disputes escalating into violent acts.

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