17-year-old kills mother over suspected affair

After seeing his mother exchange intimate text messages with someone, the boy confronted her which led to a fight, during which he picked up a sickle from the kitchen and attacked her face, neck and chest, killing her on the spot

MUMBAI: A 17-year-old school dropout from Virar East allegedly killed his mother on Monday night after an argument over a suspected extramarital relationship. After seeing her exchange intimate text messages with someone, the boy confronted her which led to a fight, during which he picked up a sickle from the kitchen and attacked her face, neck and chest, killing her on the spot.

17-year-old kills mother over suspected affair

The incident took place around 8.45 pm on Monday soon after the victim Sonali Ghogre, 42, had dinner with her elder son at their house in Parol area in Virar East. Ghogre’s husband and younger son were not at home at the time.

When the boy saw his mother chatting on her mobile phone and sending intimate messages, he got furious and confronted her about her suspected affair, according to Praful Wagh, senior police inspector of Mandvi police station. The two then got into a fight following which the son picked up a sickle and attacked her. He then called up the police control room around 9 pm and reported that his mother had been attacked by unknown people. Police reached the spot and rushed the woman to a hospital in Bhiwandi where she was declared dead. “The accused did not tell us what exactly transpired in his house which led to his mother’s death,” said police inspector Ashok Kamble from Mandvi police station.

After registering a murder case, police questioned the boy, as he was the one who had first reported the incident. A police officer said he first tried to evade questions, but finally confessed to the murder.

The boy has been sent to the Dongri Observation and Children’s Home and will be presented before the Juvenile Justice Board.

Officer Kamble said the family had been staying in Parol for generations and was well established there as Ghogre’s husband had a well-paying job and she herself had served as a member of the village panchayat. However, during the pandemic, her husband lost his job and the victim had to start providing for the family.

The woman had then started working in a medicine manufacturing factory in Vasai. Since their financial problems were not resolved, even the accused had to drop out of school – he was studying in Class 10 at the time - and started working at a hotel in Vasai.

The police have seized the murder weapon and also the mobile phone of Ghogre to find out who she was chatting with.