Man held in connection with Ghaziabad murder-suicide

The Ghaziabad police on Monday said the arrested man was with whom the wife was suspected of having an affair with.

A 22-year-old man was arrested Monday on charges of abetting suicide in connection with a murder-suicide case reported on July 5. A 37-year-old man had killed himself after killing his three children and wife as he suspected her of having an extramarital affair.

The Ghaziabad police Monday said the arrested man was with whom the wife was suspected of having an affair with.

The bodies of 37-year-old Pradeep Kumar, wife Sangeeta, 35, and three minor daughters— Manasvi, 8, Yashasvi, 5, and Ojasvi, 3— were found in their house in New Shatabdi Puram on July 5.

The police had said the door of the room was locked from inside and a team of police had to break in to recover the bodies.

Sangeeta was bludgeoned to death with a hammer while the three children were found with black tape wound around their faces, suffocating them to death. Pradeep after murdering his family allegedly killed himself.

Following the incident, Sangeeta’s family lodged an FIR against Pradeep under IPC section for murder, attempt to murder and abetting suicide. The police Monday arrested the 22-year-old man who had lived at the victims’ house till February this year.

According to police, Sangeeta had several rabbits as pets and wanted to build them a home using cardboard. About a month ago, when the 22-year-old had bought a bundle of black tape and given it to Sangeeta to use on the cardboard.

The children, police said, were killed using this tape.