Delhi man tries to slit throat after bludgeoning wife to death; rescued

Marital discord is suspected to be the reason behind the crime. The man will be arrested and booked for killing his wife and trying to claim his own life, once he is discharged from the hospital

A 32-year-old man allegedly bludgeoned his 28-year-old wife to death in front of their four-year-old son before trying to kill himself by slitting his throat at their home in southwest Delhi’s Dabri on Thursday afternoon. The man’s life was saved after police rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he got immediate medical attention.

The wife was declared brought dead at the hospital while the man is being treated for his injuries. (Representational Image)

Marital discord is suspected to have led to the crime. The man, Bhanu Pratap, will be arrested and booked for killing his wife and trying to claim his own life, once he is discharged from the hospital. A case of murder and suicide attempt has been registered at the Dabri police station, senior police officers associated with the probe said.

Deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Santosh Kumar Meena said that around 3 pm on Thursday, the police control room received a call regarding a person “cutting his veins” in a house Dabri. A police team reached the house and found a couple bleeding on the floor. Both of them were rushed to a nearby hospital, where the woman was declared brought dead, said Meena.

“The woman, Soni Devi, was attacked on her head with a blunt object and it led to her death. Her husband has cut wounds on his throat that suggest that he tried to kill himself. The couple’s child, who was in the one-room house at the time of the crime, is now with a relative,” said DCP Meena.

The police said that initial probe into the case has revealed that the couple had strained relations since their wedding five years ago. Their frequent altercations forced them to live separately. The husband, who works as a mechanic, had started living in north-east Delhi while the woman stayed with their child in the Dabri home, a police officer associated with the probe said.

On Thursday, Bhanu Pratap visited his wife. Neighbours have told the police that they heard the couple quarrelling but did not intervene since it was routine. Around 2.30 pm, they heard Soni Devi screaming and the child crying. They found the couple bleeding on the floor. One of them called the police, the officer said.

“The exact reason behind the fight will be ascertained only after we record Pratap’s statement. He is currently undergoing treatment and unfit for making a statement,” the officer added.