Bengaluru: Investigation into the murders reported at a star hotel near Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) revealed the accused, who smothered his two minor daughters to death before attempting to take his life, was highly suspicious of his wife.Sources said the couple’s relationship had strained so badly that the woman, fed up with frequent questioning by her husband Imran over every move she made, had prepared to initiate khula (where the woman seeks separation).Imran, still recovering in hospital, is yet to give a statement on the issue to police.A manager with a private cab company, Imran allegedly choked his daughters — Sheik Zehara, 5, and Sheik Zoya, 10, — in the fourth-floor room of a luxury hotel near the airport Monday. When cops arrived at the scene, they found Zoya and Zehara lying motionless. “It was painful to see the two children like that,” said an officer.Beyond the horror of the crimes, investigation revealed a heartbreaking detail of the innocent lives lost: Imran wrote a two-page death note in Zehera’s school notebook. In the note, Imran accused his wife of having an extramarital affair and said he was not ready to hand over custody of his daughters to her. On the page adjacent to the suicide note was a child’s drawing of a helicopter, probably drawn by Zehara some days ago.Sources close to the family said Imran frequently showed suspicious and controlling behaviour, allegedly questioning his wife’s character over her interactions with neighbourhood vendors and security personnel. The wife had brought this to the notice of family members, who had attempted to speak with him. However, the conciliation meetings were not fruitful and the couple was on the verge of separation when the horrific incident happened, a police officer said, adding: “We are trying to ascertain if custody of children was the trigger.”Investigation revealed Imran’s wife sent him a WhatsApp message Monday afternoon. In the message, she is said to have told him that he lacked the ability to properly care for the young girls and that they should no longer be in his custody. Police are not sure whether Imran reacted to the message or not.Cops are also trying to ascertain if Imran was the same person who courted controversy during Covid-19 quarantine period when he attempted to exit the hospital out of fear.
