Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Mother and Five Children Found Dead in Karnataka Lake
A mother named Shobha and her five children were found dead in a lake near Vijayapura, Karnataka.
The children were named Vidya, Suvarna, Gowdesh, Vikas and Sanika.
The family had been reported missing earlier.
Police said Shobha had argued with her husband before leaving home.
She reportedly said she would leave with the children and end her life.
Police currently think suicide is possible.
However, they have not ruled out a crime.
The bodies were sent for postmortem examinations, and investigators are still trying to learn exactly what happened.
Shobha, 35, and her five children were found dead in Bhootanala Lake near Vijayapura.
The children were identified as Vidya, Suvarna, Gowdesh, Vikas and Sanika.
Police said the family had been reported missing after Shobha reportedly quarrelled with her husband on August 24.
Authorities are treating the deaths as a suspected suicide, but are also investigating whether a crime occurred.
The bodies were recovered between August 24 and 26, with postmortem examinations pending to establish the cause and manner of death.
- Who
- Shobha Jalageri, 35, and her five children—Vidya, Suvarna, Gowdesh, Vikas and Sanika—were found dead.
- What
- Their bodies were recovered from Bhootanala Lake, and police opened an investigation into the deaths.
- When
- The family reportedly disappeared on August 24; the bodies were reported found and recovered between August 24 and 26, according to differing police reports.
- Where
- Bhootanala Lake on the outskirts of Vijayapura city in Karnataka; the family was from Toravi village.
- Why
- The cause is not established. Police said a family quarrel may have preceded the deaths and are investigating suspected suicide as well as the possibility of a crime.
Suspected Suicide
Possible Crime or Unclear Circumstances
Cause of deaths
Suspected Suicide
Police said the deaths appeared prima facie to be suicide, citing the reported quarrel and Shobha’s alleged statement that she would end her life with the children.
Possible Crime or Unclear Circumstances
Police said the circumstances remain unclear and are investigating whether the six died by suicide or were victims of a crime.
Possible trigger
Suspected Suicide
Preliminary police information suggests a family dispute, reportedly connected to preparations for Shravan Somavara, may have preceded the deaths.
Possible Crime or Unclear Circumstances
The dispute is only a preliminary lead; investigators have not established that it caused the deaths or determined the exact sequence of events.
- Victims
- Shobha, 35, and her five children
- Children
- Vidya, Suvarna, Gowdesh, Vikas and Sanika
- Location
- Bhootanala Lake, outskirts of Vijayapura, Karnataka
- Family origin
- Toravi village in Tikota taluk, Vijayapura district
- Missing-person report
- Filed on Monday by Shobha’s husband; reports differ on whether he was identified as Bheemaraya or Mallikarjun Jalageri
- Police position
- Suicide appears possible prima facie, but a crime has not been ruled out
- Next step
- Postmortem examinations and further investigation to establish the cause and manner of death
