Man murders pregnant wife, attempts suicide; kids at home get help, save him

The accused, Praveen, alias Gopal, Gewande, is accused of killing the woman, identified as Pooja Praveen Gewande, with an axe at their home.

The Bhosari police have charged a man with murder, after he allegedly killed his wife in Phugewadi on Sunday. The woman was pregnant, in her final trimester.

The Bhosari police have charged a man with murder, after he allegedly killed his wife in Phugewadi on Sunday. The woman was pregnant, in her final trimester.

The accused, Praveen, alias Gopal, Gewande, is accused of killing the woman, identified as Pooja Praveen Gewande, with an axe at their home. The couple have two children, both of whom are believed to have been in the house when the attack happened.

After the attack the accused attempted to commit suicide, but was prevented by neighbours, who the two children in the house raised an alarm to.

Bhosari police station incharge, Shankar Awatade, said, “The murdered woman was eight-months pregnant and her mother had come to meet her. The husband is being treated for a psychiatric ailment. The incident took place around 5 pm on Sunday. He attacked her on the neck with an axe and also inflicted injuries on his own neck, trying to commit suicide in front of the two children. The deceased’s mother was outside the house at the time of the incident. He allegedly had tried to strangulate his mother-in-law, eight days ago ,” PI Awtade said.

The preamble to the tragic incident, according to Bhosari police, is that the victim was in Aurangabad when she was informed that her husband, a labourer by profession, had suffered a mental breakdown and was behaving strangely.

Pooja Gewande rushed back to take care of her husband at the beginning of this month.

On the day of the incident, according to police, Pooja was preparing tea, when her husband, Praveen Gewande, came from behind and slit open her neck with the axe.

The accused then attempted to inflict injuries on his self.

The two children - both belived to be below five-years old - present at the time of incident, fled to inform the neighbours, who immediately called up the control room and informed the police.

The husband has been taken into custody and is under observation at Sassoon General Hospital.

“The victim was declared dead on arrival when brought to hospital. An autopsy has been performed and her remains have been handed over to the family for final rites,” says PI Awtade.