Bengaluru Shocker: Techie Dies by Suicide After Dispute With Mother-in-Law Over Cooking in Karnataka
A 35-year-old Bengaluru techie, P. Sushma, died by suicide following a dispute with her mother-in-law over cooking. The incident at Abbigere led to the arrest of her husband on dowry harassment charges. This is the second techie suicide in the city this week, raising concerns over domestic pressures in the IT hub.
Bengaluru, March 5: A 35-year-old software engineer, P. Sushma, died by suicide on Tuesday at her residence in Abbigere, North Bengaluru, following a domestic dispute with her mother-in-law. The conflict allegedly centered on a disagreement over cooking responsibilities, marking the second suicide of a tech professional in the city within a single week. Local police have arrested Sushma’s husband, Puneeth Kumar, on charges of dowry harassment, while the mother-in-law remains at large as authorities continue their investigation.
The incident occurred at approximately 10:30 AM on March 3, 2026, at the couple's home in the Soladevanahalli police limits. Sushma, who had previously worked at major IT firms like Dell, had been married to Puneeth for five years and was the mother of a four-year-old son. According to preliminary police reports, the household had witnessed frequent arguments over minor domestic matters in recent months, culminating in a final altercation on Monday morning regarding the use of the kitchen. Bengaluru Shocker: 28-Year-Old Woman Techie Dies by Suicide After Astrologer Predicts Marriage Failure.
Software Engineer Dies by Suicide After Dispute With Mother-in-Law Over Cooking in Bengaluru
Investigators stated that the friction between Sushma and her mother-in-law, Kalpana, often involved trivial issues that escalated into significant distress. Family members alleged that Kalpana frequently prevented Sushma from cooking or using the kitchen freely, leading to a state of constant mental strain.
On the day of the incident, a fresh quarrel broke out, after which Sushma locked herself in a room upstairs. When she failed to respond to repeated knocks, she was discovered unresponsive. Despite being at home at the time, her husband and mother-in-law were unable to prevent the tragedy. Bengaluru Techie Dies by Suicide After Cooking Dispute With Mother-in-Law, Husband Arrested.
Following the death, Sushma’s father, a retired assistant sub-inspector, filed a formal complaint at the Soladevanahalli Police Station. The family alleged that despite providing a substantial dowry of INR 10 lakh and gold ornaments at the time of the wedding, Puneeth and his mother continued to demand more money and harassed Sushma.
Based on these allegations, the police registered a case under the relevant sections for dowry death. Puneeth Kumar has been taken into custody for questioning, while a search is underway to locate Kalpana, who reportedly fled the premises following the incident.
Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Helpline Numbers:
Tele Manas (Ministry of Health) – 14416 or 1800 891 4416; NIMHANS – 080-46110007; Peak Mind – 080-456 87786; Vandrevala Foundation – 9999 666 555; Arpita Suicide Prevention Helpline – 080-23655557; iCALL – 022-25521111 and 9152987821; COOJ Mental Health Foundation (COOJ) – 8322252525.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 05, 2026 03:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).