‘Wanted both children’s custody’: Why Bengaluru man killed 2 daughters at 5-star hotel

BENGALURU: A 40-year-old man allegedly killed his two minor daughters at a five-star hotel near Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport after his demand for their custody was denied, police said on Tuesday. “He wanted both children's custody, but the family members did not agree,” deputy commissioner of police, north-east Bengaluru, GK Mithun Kumar said. The girls, Shaik Zehara, 5, and Shaik Zoya, 10, were found dead inside a fourth-floor hotel room on Monday. Their father, S G Imran, was found injured inside the room and was taken to a private hospital, where he is undergoing treatment. Imran had confessed to killing the two girls. Police have also recovered a note from the hotel room, which they suspect was written by him. “At Airport police station, one of the accused named Imran, aged around 45 years, confessed to having killed two of his daughters. One aged 10 years and the other aged around 8 years. We have also recovered a note from the murderer's part, he claims he has written that letter." "He also talks about the marital dispute between him and his wife. There was a dispute about the children's custody, also it seems. He wanted both children's custody, but the family members did not agree, and that is the reason he says he has committed this offence," Kumar added further. According to police, Imran checked into the hotel at around 7.30pm on Sunday. He allegedly told hotel staff that he was expecting a guest from Dubai after midnight. He did not check out the following afternoon. Housekeeping staff knocked on the door at around 12.30pm but received no response. They tried again at around 4.30pm, but there was still no response. At around 5.30pm, the hotel manager opened the room using a duplicate key and found the two girls lying near the bed. Imran was found injured inside the room. The three were rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared the girls dead on arrival. Imran was admitted for treatment and is said to be out of danger. Note recovered from hotel room Police said the note recovered from the room referred to a marital dispute between Imran and his wife and also alleged that she was having an extra-marital affair. “I am fed up with life due to the extra-marital affair of my wife. I have evidence to prove her affair. She has hurt me. I am taking my daughters with me,” the note read. Police said they have also spoken to Imran's wife, who confirmed that there had been disputes and arguments between the couple, including over the custody of their children. Girls allegedly strangled The DCP said the preliminary investigation indicates that the girls were killed by strangulation. “The kids were killed through strangulation. Prima facie, that is what we have found out. Based on the reports of the post-mortem, we will be taking the case forward, and we are checking if there are any other angles also present in this particular case.” Police are awaiting the post-mortem reports and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths.