The wife and daughter of former Karnataka police chief Om Prakash, who was found dead Sunday, had depression and frequently fought with and threatened him, his son has said in a police complaint as he alleged their “involvement in the murder”.
The body of the 68-year-old former Director General of Police (DGP) was found with multiple stab wounds at his residence in south east Bengaluru’s HSR Layout. Police have detained his wife, Pallavi Prakash, 65, and their daughter, Kriti.
Karthik Prakash, 40, said in his complaint that he “strongly suspected” that his mother and younger sister were “involved in the murder”. He said Om Prakash had moved to his sister’s house in Bengaluru as Pallavi Prakash had threatened to kill him multiple times over the last week.
He said it was Kriti who convinced their father to return home two days ago. “….my younger sister Kriti went to [Om Prakash’s sister] Sarita Kumari’s house two days ago and took our father, Mr Om Prakash, back home.”
Karthik Prakash alleged that his mother and sister were “suffering from depression and used to fight with our father every day”. He said he received the news of the death while he was at the Karnataka Golf Association on Sunday.
Vikash Kumar Vikash, Additional Commissioner of Police (West), said: “A complaint was filed by his son. Based on this, an FIR is registered and we will investigate the case accordingly.”
The wife and daughter of the former officer are said to have locked themselves up in a room before the police arrived Sunday. “There were three people (at the house) when the incident happened. We are certain,” the ACP said. He said a sharp weapon was found near the former officer’s body.
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Before Om Prakash’s death, his wife sent a series of rambling messages on a social media forum for officers’ families, claiming a threat to her and her daughter’s life from the former DGP and the staff at their home.
“Me and my daughter have been under severe domestic violence at the hands of my husband Omprakash, ex DGP Karnataka. His weapons are not traditional ones. They are extremely sophisticated,” one of the messages stated.
“My son has got a revolver and rifles that should be seized or taken away immediately. All these events are for the sake of property. Greed and jealousy. My husband is supporting my son and daughter in-law,” said another message.
Hailing from the small town of Bagaha in Bihar’s West Champaran district, Om Prakash was the son of an LIC clerk who completed his studies at Banaras Hindu University. After becoming an IPS officer in 1981, he moved to Karnataka and began his career as Additional Superintendent of Police of Ballari district.
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Apart from serving in various districts as Superintendent of Police, he was with the Lokayukta police and served as DGP of Criminal Investigation Department before assuming charge as DG & IGP in 2015. He retired in 2017 and, since then, had been living with his wife and daughter at his Bengaluru house.
A Bagaha resident, who knew the family, told The Indian Express requesting anonymity: “Om Prakash had a fallout with his mother after his inter-caste marriage. His mother never accepted their marriage. This could be a possible reason for not visiting Bagaha too often in the early years of his career.”
Girendra Pandey, a neighbour of the family at Bagaha town, said: “Om Prakash’s family used to live in Parsauni village till it was swept away in the devastating Gandak floods of 1971. His father, Shivpujan Gupta, had bought a home at Bagaha and stayed here till his death in 2021 during the second wave of COVID-19. None of his two sons came to Bagaha for their father’s final rites.”
His younger brother lives in Kolkata. “Om Prakash last visited Bagaha in 2022 and had installed a Hanuman temple near his house. His paternal house now stays locked,” said Pandey.
