Udupi: Praveen Chowgule, the accused in the brutal murder case of a woman and her three children in Nejar, has admitted to the crime, according to SP Arun Kumar on Wednesday, November 15.

The police are now looking into the details of the relationship or potential romantic issues between Chowgule and the victim, Ainaz, to understand the motive behind the horrific act.

Chowgule, a cabin crew member with an international airline, was arrested in a joint operation by Udupi and Belagavi police on November 14 in Belagavi.

SP Arun Kumar revealed during a media briefing that Chowgule confessed to targeting Ainaz for murder on November 12. However, when Ainaz’s mother, Haseena (46), sister Afnan (23), and brother Aseem (12) intervened, they unintentionally became victims, stabbed to death by Chowgule. Allegedly, the motive behind killing the others was to eliminate potential evidence against him. Ainaz’s grandmother, Hajinabba, also sustained stab wounds but survived. The weapon used in the crime is expected to be confiscated soon.

Emphasizing that the crime was premeditated, as per Chowgule’s statement, SP Arun Kumar stated that the police will further investigate the identified motives and take legal action accordingly.

Chowgule, a resident of Sangli in Maharashtra, worked as a cabin crew member in Mangaluru. Despite being married, his service record with the Maharashtra state police is yet to be verified.

As confirmed by Arun Kumar, Chowgule will be presented in court and subsequently taken into custody. The family is cooperating with the investigation, providing essential documents and mobile phones. The ongoing focus of the inquiry is to determine the perpetrator, with additional details expected to emerge as the investigation progresses. Chowgule has been remanded to 14 days of police custody.