The historic Eden Gardens prepares for a high-octane clash as India face off against the West Indies in a pivotal T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 encounter. With the semi-final race heating up, this match carries the weight of a billion dreams and the Caribbean’s flair. India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, look to maintain their dominance on home soil, while Shai Hope’s West Indies side aim to dismantle the hosts with their trademark power-hitting and mystery spin.

A do-or-die battle in Kolkata between India and West Indies

The stakes could not be higher for both sides in this Group 1 fixture. For the West Indies, this is a definitive do-or-die moment; a loss here likely extinguishes their hopes of reclaiming global T20 glory, making every boundary and wicket a matter of survival. India, despite their strong start, face immense pressure to secure their semi-final berth before the final group standings are settled. In the cauldron of Eden Gardens, there is no room for error. It is a battle of survival versus supremacy, where one mistake could end a World Cup campaign.

Also READ: T20 World Cup 2026: What if the India vs West Indies Super 8 clash at Eden Gardens gets washed out due to rain in Kolkata?

IND vs WI: Kolkata Weather Forecast

The weather in Kolkata is expected to be stable but challenging due to high humidity levels. Here is how the conditions will likely play out hour-by-hour during the match:

• 7 PM (Toss & Start): The match kicks off at 27°C under mostly clear skies. While the temperature is pleasant, the 64% humidity will already be a factor for the bowlers. With winds at 19 km/h from the South, the new ball might see some initial swing, giving Arshdeep Singh and Shamar Joseph something to work with early on.
• 8 PM (first innings progress): As we move into the heart of the first innings, the temperature dips slightly to 25°C, but humidity jumps significantly to 74%. This is when the indoor humidity feel becomes very humid, potentially making the ball slippery for the spinners like Gudakesh Motie and Varun Chakaravarthy.
• 9 PM (mid-innings break): The temperature remains steady at 25°C, but the humidity climbs further to 79%. The wind gusts increase to 24 km/h, which could assist power hitters like Shimron Hetmyer or Shivam Dube when clearing the boundary, but the heavy air will test the players’ physical endurance.
• 10 PM (The Chase): As the second innings intensifies, it cools to 24°C with partly cloudy skies. Humidity hits a grueling 81%. Dew is almost certain to play a massive role here, favoring the batting side as the ball becomes harder to grip for the fielding team.
• 11 PM (The Death Overs): In the final stretch, conditions remain at 24°C and 81% humidity. Wind gusts of 26 km/h from the SSW may persist. Fielders will need to be extra sharp in the deep as the real feel remains higher than the actual temp, making the closing moments a test of pure mental grit.

Also READ: Sunil Gavaskar highlights silver lining of South Africa defeat following India’s T20 World Cup Super 8 triumph vs Zimbabwe

US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed following joint American and Israeli air strikes.“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in history, is dead,” he wrote, calling the strike “justice for the people of Iran” and for Americans and others allegedly harmed by Iran.

The death of 86-year-old supreme leader has sent Iran into the unknown as Khamenei has left the centerstage without naming any designated successor.Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and two other top officials will lead Iran in the transitional period, state television reported on Sunday. Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei and another official from the country’s legal council will be part of the trio overseeing the transition, according to state television, which cited Mohammad Mokhber, one of Khamenei’s advisors.

An 88-member panel of Shia clerics -called the assembly of experts- appoints the supreme leader of Iran. The clerics are popularly elected every eight years and whose candidacies are approved by the Guardian Council, Iran’s constitutional watchdog.According to the Iranian law assembly of experts “must, as soon as possible” pick a new supreme leader.But until then, a leadership council can step in and “temporarily assume all the duties of leadership.” The assembly is made up of Iran’s sitting president, the head of the country’s judiciary and a member of the Guardian Council chosen by Iran’s Expediency Council, which advises the supreme leader and settles disputes with parliament. If that were to happen now, Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian and hard-line judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei would be on that leadership council.There has been only one other transfer of power in the office of the supreme leader of Iran, the paramount decision-maker since the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.In 1989, Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini died at age 86 after being the figurehead of the revolution and leading Iran through its bloody eight-year war with Iraq. This transition now comes after Israel launched a 12-day war against Iran in June 2025 as well.

Mojtaba KhameneiAyatollah’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is one of the top contenders of succeeding the Supreme Leader. He is the second-eldest son of the now dead leader, and has long been seen as the rational successor to the terrorist-funding regime, Reuters reported citing sources with knowledge.The 56-year-old is inline with his father’s hardline policies, insiders told the outlet.Mojtaba Khamenei was flagged by the US treasury department as one of the parties responsible for transferring $1.5 billion out of Iran last month with Secretary Scott Bessent accusing the leadership of “abandoning ship.”Hassan KhomeiniAnother regime insider is Hassan Khomeini — the grandson of the father of the Islamic Revolution, Ruhollah Khomeini.Hassan Khomeini, 53, has emerged over the past month as a serious contender and is seen as a more conciliatory choice — both internationally and domestically.Maryam RajaviSoon after the strikes, president-elect of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran Maryam Rajavi called for the overthrow of Iran’s ruling regime and the creation of a democratic republic as conflict intensifies over Tehran’s nuclear and missile programs following Saturday’s strikes by the US and Israel.“Our homeland continues to endure greater pain and destruction under the rule of religious fascism,” Rajavi declared in a statement shared with The Post, urging Iranians — particularly the nation’s “courageous youth” — to protect civilians amid mounting instability.According to the New York Post, NCRI, formed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, presents itself as a government-in-exile and says it has a ready blueprint for a six-month transitional administration that would organize free elections and transfer sovereignty to the people.Reza PahlaviThe son of last monarch, Reza Pehlavi is also planning for a democratic transition if the Islamic Republic collapses.In a post on X, Pahlavi described the US action as a “humanitarian intervention” aimed at the regime — not the Iranian people.“The final victory will still be achieved by us,” he wrote. “It is we, the people of Iran, who will finish this task in this final battle. The time to return to the streets is approaching.”Pahlavi also called on President Trump to exercise “the utmost possible caution” to protect civilians if strikes continue, adding that Iranians “will not forget your assistance during the most difficult period of Iran’s contemporary history.”Rajavi urged members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other security bodies to lay down their arms and side with the people.Pahlavi warned security personnel they would “sink with Khamenei’s ship” if they continued defending the regime rather than “protect[ing] Iran and the Iranian nation.”Rajavi pointed to her “10-point plan” advocating free elections, separation of religion and state, gender equality and a non-nuclear Iran as the framework for a transitional government.Meanwhile, both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu encouraged the Iranian people to take to the streets and seize power of their nation.“Our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,” Netanyahu said, encouraging Iranians to “take over your government.”

Ayatullah Khamenei and Reza Pahlavi (Images/AP)

Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, welcomed the announcement of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death following joint US-Israeli military strikes. He praised US President Donald Trump for his decisive action.In a post on X, Pahlavi wrote: “Ali Khamenei, the bloodthirsty despot of our time… has been erased from the face of history. With his death, the Islamic Republic has in effect reached its end and will very soon be consigned to the dustbin of history.”

Pahlavi laid out a roadmap, called the Iran Prosperity Project, which proposes a referendum to draft and ratify a new constitution, followed by internationally supervised elections, after which the transitional government would dissolve.He added that any attempt by the remnants of the regime to appoint a successor would fail, warning that any new leader would lack legitimacy and would inherit the crimes of the outgoing regime. Pahlavi urged military, law enforcement and security forces to assist in a stable transition to a free and prosperous Iran.Addressing citizens directly, Pahlavi wrote: “This may be the beginning of our great national celebration, but it is not the end of the road. Remain vigilant and prepared. The time for a widespread and decisive presence in the streets is very near. Thanks to President Trump, their hour of liberation is at hand… the Iranian people know they are not alone.”Pahlavi emphasized that the final victory would be achieved by Iranians themselves, who have borne decades of repression, mass protests and state violence.

Transparent roadmap for democratic transition

In a detailed op-ed in the Washington Post, Pahlavi laid out a comprehensive plan for a peaceful and transparent transition in the country following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.He described the Islamic Republic as an expansionist and oppressive regime that has subverted regional sovereignty, pursued nuclear weapons, and committed mass atrocities at home, citing the reported massacre of over 30,000 protesters in January 2026.He emphasized that while US and Israeli strikes have weakened the regime, the ultimate victory rests with the Iranian people, who have endured decades of repression. Pahlavi called for unity among opposition groups, including monarchists, republicans, liberals, leftists, and religious and ethnic minorities, around four principles: territorial integrity, individual liberties, separation of religion and state, and the people’s right to choose their government.Pahlavi also envisioned a free Iran pursuing regional peace and cooperation, proposing the “Cyrus Accords,” a framework inspired by Cyrus the Great. This plan aims to replace hostility with diplomatic and economic collaboration, including recognition of Israel, and to transform Iran into a pillar of stability and prosperity in the Middle East, according to Washington Post. He praised Trump for supporting the Iranian people, stating that U.S. solidarity has empowered the nation’s citizens in their struggle for freedom and democratic governance.Reza Pahlavi is the eldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s last Shah, overthrown in the 1979 revolution. Born in Tehran in 1960, he was formally named crown prince in 1967. Pahlavi left Iran in 1978 for US military training and later earned a degree in political science from the University of Southern California. Following his father’s death in 1980, he declared himself Shah in exile.The US-Israel strikes on Iran early Saturday targeted key military and nuclear sites near Khamenei’s office. President Donald Trump called the strikes a measure to protect American lives and global security, declaring that “the hour of your freedom is at hand” for the Iranian people.

Garhwal MP Anil Baluni (PTI image)

NEW DELHI: As part of his campaign to re-populate settlements hit by exodus of locals in Uttarakhand, Garhwal MP Anil Baluni played Holi with current and former residents of Dhoor village during his visit to the constituency. Several former residents returned to the village briefly to play the festival of colour to render the almost empty village a vibrant feel, which reminded them of a bygone era before they relocated to different cities in search of livelihood. “Since childhood, I have seen villages being deserted because people sought better lives in cities. Today, many of them are called ghost villages . But now, with improved roads, electricity, water and other facilities, it is time to return to our roots, where our heritage truly thrives,” Baluni said.Baluni, who was a Rajya Sabha member before being elected to Lok Sabha in 2024, has been spearheading a campaign to revive traditional festivals, a call given by PM Narendra Modi, and to bring back former residents to their native villages to revive the old way of life in these remote, hilly areas which have suffered stagnation as people left.Once vibrant with laughter and livestock, these hamlets, numbering hundreds across Uttarakhand, lie abandoned now, their terraced fields covered with wild weeds and the houses locked and crumbling, he said. Migration has taken a toll on the region, he added. Baluni said Pauri had eight Assembly constituencies earlier but the number has come down to six and it can fall further after the next “delineation”. Several districts across the hill state are facing the same crisis, he said. Amid the splash of colours and bursts of laughter, Holi was celebrated with the handful of families still staying put in Dhoor. They were joined by many former residents who returned from distant cities on the occasion. Baluni has been visiting such villages at frequent intervals in his efforts to repopulate them. As part of his efforts, the BJP leader has also launched the “Apna Vote Apne Gaon” campaign, urging people to register themselves as voters in their native villages.

(Photo credit: Central Command)

In a significant escalation of its drone warfare capabilities, the United States turned Iran’s own drone strategy against it, deploying its new low-cost, one-way attack drone, the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS), for the first time during coordinated strikes with Israel under Operation Epic Fury.The coordinated strikes on Iran orchestrated by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday targeted key Iranian military assets and resulted in the killing of Tehran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.The operation saw US and Israeli forces unleash a mix of advanced and cost-effective weaponry, combining next-generation fighter jets and long-range cruise missiles with low-cost autonomous drones, marking a sharp escalation in both scale and strategy.Alongside the newly deployed LUCAS drones, the mission involved Tomahawk cruise missiles and advanced fighter aircraft, including the F/A-18 and F-35 jets. US Central Command (CENTCOM) later released photographs showing Tomahawk missiles and fighter aircraft involved in the operation.

First combat use of LUCAS drone

As part of Operation Epic Fury, the US military fielded the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS), a one-way “kamikaze” drone reverse-engineered from Iran’s Shahed-136 platform.“For the first time in history is using one-way attack drones in combat during Operation Epic Fury. These low-cost drones, modeled after Iran’s Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution,” CENTCOM announced on X.

What is LUCAS?

According to the Pentagon, the drones used in the strike appear identical to the LUCAS system manufactured by Spektreworks, a Phoenix, Arizona-based company, Reuters reported.Designed as a low-cost, expendable system, LUCAS is intended for large-scale production by multiple manufacturers.Each unit costs approximately $35,000, making it significantly cheaper than many conventional precision weapons.The growing reliance on such drones reflects a broader military shift toward what officials describe as “affordable mass” deploying large numbers of relatively inexpensive weapons to overwhelm adversaries. The strategy gained prominence following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which highlighted the battlefield effectiveness of drones.

How it works?

LUCAS is designed with a modular, open-architecture system that enables it to perform multiple mission profiles, including strike operations, reconnaissance, and communications support. Its flexible configuration allows operators to quickly swap payloads depending on operational needs. It is capable of operating both as a target drone for training and as a combat UAV in active missions. Notably, LUCAS is built to be handled by non-specialized personnel, offering a key logistical advantage in rapidly evolving conflict zones.According to Defence Security Asia, the drone is capable of operating at medium altitudes over extended ranges, further expanding its battlefield utility.CENTCOM said Operation Epic Fury targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command-and-control facilities, Iranian air defense systems, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields.

Tomahawk cruise missiles deployed

The strikes also featured Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, long-range, precision-guided cruise missiles typically launched from sea-based platforms for deep-strike missions.The Tomahawk can strike targets up to 1,000 miles (1,600 km) away, including in heavily defended airspace. It measures about 20 feet (6.1 meters) in length, has an 8.5-foot wingspan, and weighs roughly 3,330 pounds (1,510 kg).According to Pentagon budget documents, the US plans to purchase 57 Tomahawk missiles in 2026 at an average cost of about $1.3 million each. Tomahawks have previously been used in operational settings, including strikes by US and UK naval forces on Houthi targets in Yemen.

Fighter jets in action

The F-35, a fifth-generation stealth fighter, is designed to evade radar detection while carrying precision-guided munitions. It can deploy a range of missiles, including those capable of targeting and destroying enemy radar systems.The F/A-18, manufactured by Boeing, is a multi-role aircraft capable of conducting both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, carrying various bombs and missiles.The United States has deployed F-35s extensively across the Middle East, and the aircraft is also operated by the Israeli Air Force.

On 16 January 1979, the Shah fled Iran, leaving behind a collapsing monarchy and a revolutionary tide that would reshape the Middle East. From that upheaval emerged a new political order, an Islamic Republic built on the doctrine of clerical rule. Nearly half a century later, the system created in revolution has been shaken by another upheaval, one that ended with the death of the man who embodied it for more than three decades.Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s second Supreme Leader, rose from the ranks of revolutionary clerics to become the most powerful figure in the Islamic Republic. He survived assassination attempts, war, sanctions and repeated waves of protest. He outlasted presidents at home and adversaries abroad. In the end, however, it was war with the United States and Israel, the very confrontation that had defined much of his rule, that brought it to a close.His death, confirmed by Iranian state media after extensive US and Israeli air strikes on Tehran, closes a chapter that began with the overthrow of a monarch and concludes with the violent unravelling of a revolutionary state. Born in resistance, the Islamic Republic was shaped by struggle. Under Khamenei, it hardened into a system that tolerated neither dissent nor compromise.

From Mashhad seminarian to supreme authority

Born in 1939 in Mashhad to a clerical family, Khamenei was shaped by religious study and political dissent. As a young cleric he studied in Qom under Khomeini and was arrested multiple times by the Shah’s security services for anti-regime activism. After the 1979 revolution, he rose swiftly: Friday prayer leader in Tehran, then president during the brutal Iran–Iraq war.In 1981 he survived an assassination attempt that paralysed his right arm. The experience deepened his suspicion of rivals and foreign enemies. When Khomeini died in 1989, Khamenei lacking his mentor’s senior clerical rank, was unexpectedly elevated by the Assembly of Experts to the role of supreme leader.

Khamenei stands in a military uniform in October 1981 (Photo credit: AP)

Initially viewed as weak, he moved carefully to consolidate authority. Constitutional changes strengthened the office. Over time, he built networks of loyalists across the judiciary, parliament, state media and the clerical establishment, transforming himself from compromise candidate into the system’s undisputed arbiter.

Building a security state

Central to Khamenei’s power was the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He expanded it into Iran’s dominant military and economic force, granting it oversight of the ballistic missile programme and vast commercial interests. In return, it became his most reliable instrument of control.The Basij militia and intelligence services were repeatedly deployed to crush dissent. Student protests in 1999 were put down. The 2009 “Green Movement”, which erupted after a disputed presidential election, was suppressed with arrests and force. Economic protests in 2017 and 2019 met similar fates.

The most profound domestic rupture came in 2022 after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, detained for allegedly breaching Iran’s strict dress code. Demonstrations led by women and young people spread nationwide. Hundreds were killed, thousands arrested. Khamenei framed the unrest as foreign-instigated sedition and refused concessions on compulsory hijab or political reform.His final and bloodiest crackdown followed a currency collapse that drove the rial to record lows. When protesters again chanted “Death to the dictator”, he declared that “rioters must be put in their place”. Security forces opened fire. Activists reported thousands killed. It was a show of force that revealed both the regime’s resilience and its fear.

Confrontation with the West and regional ambition

If repression defined Khamenei’s domestic rule, confrontation marked his foreign policy. He consistently cast the United States as Iran’s principal adversary, accusing it of seeking regime change. The 1979–81 US embassy hostage crisis, supported by revolutionary leaders including Khamenei, cemented decades of hostility.Under his watch, Iran pursued an expansive regional strategy. Through allies and proxies – from Hezbollah in Lebanon to Hamas in Gaza and the Houthis in Yemen – Tehran projected influence while avoiding direct war. Khamenei viewed Israel as illegitimate and supported armed resistance as both ideological duty and strategic leverage.Iran’s nuclear programme became the central flashpoint. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) offered sanctions relief in exchange for limits on enrichment. Khamenei endorsed it cautiously, describing tactical compromise as “heroic flexibility”. When the United States withdrew in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, Iran gradually breached the deal’s limits.

Years of sanctions, mismanagement and corruption hollowed out the economy. Inflation soared, oil revenues dwindled and public anger deepened. Yet Khamenei refused to abandon missile development or regional alliances, seeing them as essential deterrents.His final months were marked by escalating brinkmanship. As US forces massed in the region and Israel struck Iranian assets, he warned that any attack would trigger wider war. Negotiations flickered but faltered. Then came the strikes that targeted key military sites – and his own compound.

An uncertain future

Khamenei’s death leaves no publicly confirmed successor. Constitutionally, the Assembly of Experts must appoint a new supreme leader. Speculation has ranged from senior clerics to his son Mojtaba. The IRGC, now the country’s most powerful institution, may play a decisive role in any transition.Iran stands at a crossroads. The system Khamenei inherited from revolution he hardened into a security state sustained by ideology, patronage and force. Yet beneath it lies a society weary of isolation, economic hardship and repression.

BENGALURU: Gathering inside the station, the Tilaknagar police posse were lost in thought. They were trying to trace a missing family: a man in his late 50s, his wife, and their daughter. Despite painstaking efforts, their search was in vain. Akshay BJ, 27, who had come to the station claiming his parents and sister were missing, lamented the police’s inability to locate them. Police Inspector Vishwanath K was contemplating the next move when suddenly, a mobile phone ringtone sounded from Akshay’s trouser pocket. As others looked at him, Akshay’s face turned pale.

“Sir, I gave the ring to his sister’s mobile, and it is ringing now,” said a constable to Vishwanath.

K. Vishwanath police inspector Tilak nagar ps

That was enough for Vishwanath and his team to suspect that something was amiss in the missing-person case, and that Akshay was hiding something. Searching Akshay, the cops found three SIM cards — those of his ‘missing’ parents and sister. Joint commissioner of Police-East, Ramesh Banoth, said the ringtone changed the entire investigation. “Tilaknagar police officials sensed something amiss from the beginning, as Akshay not only made contradictory statements but also tried to mislead us whenever we sought details on certain blank points. Officials were randomly dialing his parents’ and sister’s numbers, which were switched off. But on the morning of January 30, while Akshay went out for a tea break, he switched on his sister’s mobile to mislead the police into thinking they were somewhere in Bengaluru,” he said. This was how the mysterious case of three missing persons turned into a horrifying one: the son had hatched and executed the killings in an inhuman way. After slitting their throats with an axe blade, he dug a 10-foot-deep pit inside their Kottur residence in Vijayanagar district. City police arrested Akshay for killing the three, along with his uncle Vasanth, who was involved by giving tips on destroying evidence. Akshay runs a tyre-remoulding factory in his hometown, Kotturu. Deputy Commissioner of Police-South East, Mohammad Sujeetha, said, “We arrested two accused persons in the case: Akshay and his uncle Vasanth. Though the prime accused, Akshay, claimed personal reasons behind the killings, we strongly suspect other motives. However, we need to investigate the case from all possible angles to find the truth.” Another officer from Vijayanagar added that Bheemaraj had sold a property in Harappanahalli, Davanagere, fetching Rs 1.2 crore. “Bheemaraj had deposited the cash in a bank account, and Akshay had spent a portion of it. According to him, Bheemaraj was unaware of the spending,” he said. The tragic drama unfolded on the night of January 29 when Akshay stepped into Tilaknagar police station to file a complaint about his missing parents — Bheemraj H, Jayalakshmi J, and sister Amrita. According to him, they had come to the city on January 28 intending to visit Jayadeva Hospital. Bheemaraj had health issues, and doctors from his hometown had advised a hospital visit. To strengthen his claim, Akshay showed photos on his mobile, saying his father and sister had sent them after reaching Jayadeva. Indeed, the pictures were taken near the hospital. “My sister told me that Jayadeva hospital staff had seized her mobile for recording inside the hospital,” Akshay claimed. “At least 15 police personnel were put on the job that night. We were panicked on hearing that the couple and their daughter had gone missing. We first contacted Jayadeva, but they firmly said they did not have any patient by the name Bheemaraj. Some of our officials scanned CCTV footage for the previous two days but did not find Bheemaraj or the others. Different police teams visited various hospitals, including Nimhans and Victoria, but in vain,” Banoth said. Meanwhile, police, having collected the mobile numbers of the three, were randomly dialing them — all were switched off. Police thought leaving Akshay alone was risky, as he seemed panicked. A constable was assigned to him, and they went to a nearby hotel to rest. While walking, the constable explained to Akshay how the team was trying to locate the missing family. “We are continuously dialing their numbers, but they are switched off,” he said. The next morning, Akshay woke before the constable and visited a nearby tea shop, where he switched on his sister’s mobile so that the police would think they were somewhere in the city. However, like many criminals who make mistakes, he forgot to put the phone on silent mode. The entire case took a turn when, inside the police station, a constable dialed his sister’s number, which rang from Akshay’s trouser pocket. Later, the cops found the SIM cards of his father and mother. Then Akshay confessed, revealing one of the most horrific crimes the police had ever encountered. “I killed the three and buried their bodies inside our house. I did it because my sister wanted to marry a man of a different caste, and my parents supported her,” Akshay claimed. “First, I killed my mother on the afternoon of January 26 and hid her body in the bedroom. In the evening, my sister entered the house, and I killed her. My father came at night, and I killed him too. I kept the bodies in a bedroom and covered them with a bedsheet. At midnight, I caught a KSRTC bus and reached Bengaluru in the morning,” Akshay said. That day, Akshay intentionally left his mobile at home and carried the three phones of his parents and sister. After arriving in the city, he visited Jayadeva Hospital, clicked pictures from the mobile phones, and sent them to his own phone. That afternoon, he travelled back. “On January 27 and 28, I dug the pit using a drilling machine. I kept the TV volume high so neighbors would not hear the drilling. Again, I took a bus to Bengaluru on the morning of January 29 and reached in the evening,” Akshay explained. “After coming to the city, I met my uncle Vasanth. He knew I killed the three and suggested I file a missing-person complaint so that the police investigation would derail,” Akshay told cops. After zeroing in on Akshay on January 30, Tilaknagar police alerted their counterparts in Vijayanagar. The team rushed to the house, broke open the door, and recovered the bodies after digging the pit. The entire process was video recorded. Tilaknagar police have now taken Akshay into 10-day police custody for further questioning, while his uncle Vasanth was handed over to judicial custody.