Bengaluru CEO tried killing self after murdering son in Goa
What's the story
Bengaluru-based Mindful AI Lab CEO Suchana Seth—who allegedly killed her four-year-old son in Goa on Monday—tried ending her life after committing the crime.
Preliminary investigation revealed the 39-year-old smothered him to death and attempted to die by suicide by slashing her wrist.
She was arrested in Chitradurga, Karnataka, en route to Bengaluru with his body in a bag Monday night. She has been remanded to six-day police custody.
Authorities also informed her estranged husband Venkat Raman—currently in Jakarta—about the incident.
Details
Murder discovered by housekeeping staff
The crime was discovered when housekeeping staff of her rented service apartment in Goa's Candolim found blood-stained towels after Seth checked out.
Upon being interrogated by cops on a call, she said the stains were from her monthly periods.
She also narrated a fake story that her son was with her friend in Margao in South Goa.
However, the police subsequently found that she gave a fake address.
She checked into the apartment on Saturday and left on Monday morning.
Details
Police discover son's body in bag
Seth insisted on taking a cab to Bengaluru, despite hotel staffers suggesting she take a flight.
While she was traveling back to Karnataka, cops contacted the taxi driver and spoke with Seth.
The police then spoke to the driver in Konkani, making sure Seth did not understand.
They instructed him to drive to the nearest police station. He covertly diverted the cab to Chitradurga's Aimangala Police Station.
Seth was arrested there, and her son's body was found in a bag.
Details
Seth caught leaving apartment without son on CCTV
In a statement, Goa's Calangute Police said, "She initially told the police she had left her son with a relative in South Goa, but the story didn't check out."
"We called the cab driver and asked him to report to the nearest police station," it added.
Valsan earlier said the police developed a suspicion about Seth after watching her leave the apartment without her son in CCTV footage.
What Next?
Investigation ongoing, motive behind killing uncertain
Seth has now been booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (destruction of evidence), as well as the Goa Children's Act.
Per Superintendent of Police (North Goa) Nidhin Valsan, Seth hails from West Bengal and resides in Bengaluru; her husband is from Kerala but is currently in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The motive behind the killing remains undetermined, but Seth told the police that she and her husband were estranged and in the process of getting a divorce.