Mangaluru: Matchmaker held for deaths of 4 of family

MANGALURU: City police arrested a matchmaker in connection with the death of four members of a family on December 8. The accused, Noorjahan, 50, has been charged with abetment to suicide.
City police commissioner N Shashi Kumar on Friday said the deceased Nagesh had sent a voice note to ASI Chandrashekar K before allegedly hanging himself and accusing Noorjahan of trying to convert his wife to Islam.
Nagesh Sheriguppi, 30, his wife Vijayalakshmi, 26, daughter Sapna, 8, and son Samarth, 4, all natives of Sunag village in Bilgi taluk of Bagalkot district, were found dead in their house in Morgan’s Gate. While Nagesh was a driver, his wife worked as a domestic help in Noorjahan’s house.
Shashi Kumar said Nagesh and family were residing in the same apartment complex that the accused lived in. The family later shifted to another house.
Of late, the couple were going through a rough patch in their marriage and had frequent fights. Investigation and the confession statement of Noorjahan revealed that as the couple started drifting apart further, Noorjahan, a matchmaker, encouraged Vijayalakshmi to divorce her husband and even arranged a lawyer for her. She also promised to find Vijayalakshmi a match from her community. Nagesh had fought with Noorjahan over this, police said.
Nagesh was an alcoholic and abused his wife often. When Vijayalakshmi went missing with her kids for six days, she reportedly stayed with Noorjahan, police said.
Preliminary medical reports suggest that Nagesh hanged himself, while Vijaylakshmi was smothered and the children strangled to death. Police have seized Vijayalakshmi’s photographs and other items from Noorjahan’s house. The accused was produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody.