Bengaluru techie dies by suicide after infant drowns in bucket, tried CPR after searching online but couldn’t revive him

BENGALURU: What was supposed to be a routine afternoon at a West Bengaluru home ended in a gruesome double whammy Wednesday.

An 11-month-old boy drowned in a bucket of water at his home in Byraveshwaranagar on Nagarabhavi Main Road, following which, his mother died by suicide, leaving behind a note blaming herself for the child's death and saying she couldn't live with the guilt.

A case of unnatural death has been registered, and further investigation is under way.

The child, Agasthya, is believed to have accidentally fallen into a bucket filled with water while the mother, Pratibha Wali, 29, had briefly stepped away. Pratibha, a software professional working from home, was alone with the child at the time, while her husband Mahantesh Wali, 32, an engineer, was away at work.

According to preliminary police findings, Pratibha had filled a bucket to bathe the child and stepped away around 3:30pm to collect dried clothes. The bathroom door was reportedly left open. Police suspect the infant had wandered in, fallen into the bucket and drowned.

Once back, Pratibha found the child unresponsive in the water. She pulled him out, laid him on the bed, and searched online for ways to revive a person after drowning. She attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but the child could not be revived.

Investigators said her internet search history suggests she then tried to look for ways to die by suicide, took an overdose of paracetamols, and slashed her wrist. When those attempts failed, she died by hanging herself using a saree tied to a ceiling hook.

The incident came to light when Mahantesh returned home around 6:30pm. After receiving no response despite ringing the doorbell and calling out to his wife, he used a spare key to enter the house. He found Pratibha hanging and the infant lying dead on the bed, along with the suicide note and an empty strip of tablets.

He alerted family members and the police. Chandra Layout police reached the spot, conducted an initial inspection, and recovered the suicide note.

The family, originally from Belagavi, had been living in Bengaluru for the past four years. Police said the bodies were handed over to the family after postmortem.

11-month-old Agasthya drowns in a bucket at home, while mother Pratibha is away

Pratibha returns to find the infant unresponsive, fails to revive him despite CPR attempts

Police say she later died by suicide, leaving a note blaming herself for the child's death

Husband Mahantesh discovers the bodies upon returning home from work

Chandra Layout police register an unnatural death case; probe is on


(If you are having suicidal thoughts or in need of emotional support, call suicide prevention helplines: Tele-Manas helpline: 14416 or 1800-891-4416, SAHAI Helpline: 080-25497777.)