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Anaesthesiologist Stabbed to Death in Dharwad Apartment Complex

Thursday, July 16, 2026
5 min read
Anaesthesiologist Stabbed to Death in Dharwad Apartment Complex

A 45-year-old anaesthesiologist was found stabbed to death in their apartment complex in Dharwad. His eight-year-old son also suffered severe stab injuries in another room.

Police have taken the doctor’s wife into custody now. They are looking into what might be a domestic dispute causing this mess.

The deceased is Dr Kiran Honnannanavar, an anaesthesiologist working at Chirayu Hospital in Dharwad. He lived in Ranka Stello Apartments on Karnataka University Road.

It all happened Wednesday night. News agency ANI reported that Honnannanavar was stabbed to death right there at his residence. And the police found his little son badly hurt inside the house too. The child was rushed to a private hospital and is getting treatment now.

Investigators are digging into this whole thing. They have registered a case, of course.

Meanwhile, Dr Kiran’s wife, Dr Priyanka Katanahalli, an ophthalmologist, has been taken in for questioning.

Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar said something important. Preliminary findings suggest no outsider entered the apartment. That means the focus is squarely on what happened inside. Only three people were there: Kiran, Priyanka, and their son.

The commissioner added that the building itself is pretty secured. Investigators believe only those three were present when the attack occurred.

But things are getting weird with Dr Priyanka. The police commissioner mentioned she is currently in a state of shock. She’s making statements that just don't seem right. Inconsistent, unusual, he said.

Investigators are trying to piece together her side of things while talking to both families. They need to figure out what really caused this mess. Motive. That’s the thing they keep chasing.

The story got started because Dr Kiran was unreachable during the day. His relatives kept calling him, but couldn't reach him.

Apparently, his wife told them he was just resting then later that he had stepped out somewhere.

Growing suspicious about this silence until evening, his family members decided to go to the apartment themselves. They found everything inside. Dr Kiran lying in a pool of blood in one room, neck injuries visible. And their son injured in another part of the flat. It was grim.

Some reports suggested that Dr Kiran’s wife was seen just lying there next to her husband's body on her phone. Scrolling away.

The police confirmed the child was still breathing when officers arrived. They moved him straight to the hospital.

Investigators are looking at the CCTV footage now. They’re examining it along with everything else they found at the scene. There aren't immediate signs anyone from outside got in. That much is certain for now.

The building has surveillance cameras, of course. Forensic teams are going over that footage and all the evidence collected.

The exact order of events? The time of the attack? That’s what they need to figure out after the post-mortem comes back and the analysis finishes.

Officials keep saying it looks like a domestic dispute. That's the working theory right now. But motive? That part is still wide open. They haven't nailed down why this happened yet.

The police have also not confirmed some of the claims made by relatives pointing fingers at Dr Priyanka for the murder. The investigation is really early stage, they stress that. It’s complicated. An unfolding situation.

Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board

Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.

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