Gym trainer, who stabbed his parents, sent to Thane mental hospital

A gym trainer in Thane, India stabbed his elderly parents over a property dispute. His mother died due to the injuries. The accused has been sent to a mental hospital for treatment.

THANE: Sankalp Bhatkar, 31-year-old gym trainer, who stabbed his elderly parents over a property dispute on Thursday in Thane, was produced on Friday in the local court and was sent to a mental hospital for treatment, said a police official.

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Sankalp’s mother Vinita Bhatkar, 66, a retired sales tax officer, succumbed to her injuries after he stabbed her multiple times, while his father Vilas Bhatkar, also a retired sales tax officer, was admitted to the intensive care unit of a local hospital, where he is being treated.

When HT contacted Saurabh Bhatkar, Sanklap’s older brother, he refused to comment and said that he was in trauma after the incident.

Dr Netaji B Mulik, superintendent of the Thane Mental Hospital, told HT, “Yes, Sankalp has been admitted in the prisoner ward today. In such cases, if the court feels that a person is under mental stress or duress, he is sent to the hospital.”

Dr Mulik added, “Our psychiatrists will carry out an evaluation over the next few days to determine if he needs psychiatric treatment. If he is found to be normal, he will be released and his normal trial under IPC sections could proceed. He has just been brought in today. So, we cannot comment on his condition,”

Sankalp had been having heated arguments with his parents over petty issues in the last two weeks, said a police officer.

“The accused was angry for some reason and visited his parent’s house on Thursday. In a fit of rage, he took a knife and stabbed his mother multiple times in the abdomen and chest. Sankalp then stabbed his father in the chest,” said the officer.

As per the police, after stabbing his parents, Sankalp went to three different places with the intention of harming his relatives; he first went to his older brother’s house on Ghodbunder Road in Thane, then to his aunt’s house in Prabhadevi and then to his in-laws’ house in Nehru Nagar in Kurla.