Man jailed for wife’s ‘murder’ finds her alive years later in Kodagu

In a case more unbelievable than fiction, a man from Karnataka who was jailed for allegedly murdering his wife was left reeling when she resurfaced years later — alive, and in the company of her lover.

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The saga began in 2019 when Mallige, a resident of Basavanahalli village in Kodagu district, mysteriously disappeared. Her husband, Suresh, initially suspected she had eloped due to rumors of an extramarital affair. Hoping for closure and concerned for his children, he filed a missing person report in 2021.

In 2022, police informed him that skeletal remains found in nearby Periyapatna belonged to his wife. Based on visual identification and pressure from authorities, he conducted her final rites. Soon after, he was arrested and charged with her murder.

Suresh spent months in jail protesting his innocence until forensic DNA tests confirmed the remains were not Mallige’s. He was released, but the trauma lingered.

In a shocking twist on April 1, 2025, friends of Suresh spotted Mallige checking into a hotel in Madikeri with another man. They photographed the couple and tipped off the police. Mallige was promptly taken into custody and presented before a Mysuru court.

The case has raised serious questions about police investigation standards and the toll of wrongful incarceration, as Suresh now seeks justice for the years lost.