36-yr-old Kamothe accountant kills wife, absconds

Police in Navi Mumbai are searching for a man who allegedly killed his wife, Shilwanta Shejal, and fled. Shejal's brother said she had suffered domestic violence at the hands of her husband, Birappa Shrirang Shejal, who was said to be a miser and prevented her from talking to family members. The couple's two sons were unharmed and are now in the care of relatives. Shilwanta had previously filed a domestic violence complaint against her husband, which was withdrawn during a mediation session.

Navi Mumbai: The Kamothe police are on the lookout for a 36-year-old man who killed his wife on Saturday and absconded. The incident came to light on Saturday evening after the deceased woman’s brother went to check on her, following a phone call from the school that no one had turned up to pick up the woman’s two sons.

HT Image

Shilwanta Shejal (33) married the accused Birappa Shrirang Shejal (36) in 2010. According to her brother, Namdev Metkari, she was often subjected to domestic violence. “Birappa was a miser and never gave money to my sister for household expenses,” he said. “He assaulted her numerous times and also prohibited her from talking to family members. We always intervened and tried to solve the issues, but he would always resume his bad behaviour.” The deceased woman had started a small tailoring business from home to make ends meet.

On Saturday morning, the accused dropped his sons Shravan, 12, and Shlok, 10, to Ramsheth Thakur School in Kamothe. At around 6 pm, Metkari got a call from his Miraj-based brother-in-law that he had received a call from the school. “They said that Shravan and Shlok’s father dropped them to school in the morning, but no one had come to pick them up,” said Metkari. “I tried calling my sister but she didn’t answer, while Birappa’s phone was switched off. So I called another relative in Kalamboli and asked her to pick up the kids. My wife and I then went to check on my sister.”

On reaching the flat at Trimurti Complex, Sector 11, Kamothe, the Metkaris had to break the door with the help of the neighbours. They found Shilwanta lying in a pool of blood on the bed. Metkari then reported the murder to the Kamothe police.

The accused works as an accountant in the CAG department of the state government at Port. On August 29, 2022, Shilwanta had filed a domestic violence complaint against him in the Panvel court, which was withdrawn on February 11 this year during a Lok Adalat mediation session when the accused apologised and promised to treat his wife well. While filing the case, Shilwanta had expressed the fear that her husband might harm her.

“We are investigating the case and are yet to arrest the accused,” said senior police inspector Ajay Kamble from Kamothe police station. “The victim had a head injury so we suspect he hit her with a heavy object.”