Man kills 3 kids, wife on suspicion of illicit relations, commits suicide

The mass murder and suicide came to light around 4.30 a.m. when the other family members in the house woke up after hearing noises from the couple’s room

A 37-year-old jobless man who suspected his wife of having extra marital relations allegedly murdered her and their three minor daughters before committing suicide at his house in a Ghaziabad neighbourhood early Friday, police said.

Police and forensics officials at the crime scene, at in a Ghaziabad lcoality where a man allegedly committed suicide after killing his wife and three children.(Sakib Ali/HT PHOTO)

The man was identified as Pradeep Kumar, his wife Sangeeta, 35, and their three minor daughters Manasvi, 8, Yashvi, 5, and Ojasvi, 3. All of them were found with black tape wrapped aprund their faces that would have choked them. Police said Sangeeta had with a severe injury to her head caused by a hammer but was alive when the crime was discovered by her in-laws in their residence at Ghaziabad’s New Shatabdi Puram locality.

“The man murdered his three children and his wife and later committed suicide. We have come to know that the man was in habit of drinking and suspected his wife of having extra marital relations. We have also recovered a suicide note in which he mentioned about his wife’s alleged illicit relations and that he had tied their faces with electrical tape,” said Sudhir Kumar Singh, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Ghaziabad.

The mass murder and suicide came to light around 4.30 a.m. when the other family members in the house woke up after hearing noises from the couple’s room. Pradeep’s father and sister Reena rushed to open the room which was bolted from inside. But they could see Pradeep was sitting on a sofa.

“I saw him sitting with his mobile phone in his hand and I thought he was doing something. So I went to my room. About 10 minutes later I heard sounds of unfastening of tape from his room and children were crying. I started shouting and asked them to open the room. But no one opened the door. In between my brother said that he was talking to Sangeeta... but he did not open the door... after some time the noise from the room fell silent,” said Reena.

“I suspected that something was wrong. I rushed to neighbour’s house and called them for help. One of them peeped through ventilation and told that only the police will be able to get the door open now. My brother was in habit of drinking and his wife often objected to his habit. He was jobless for over a month and had been trying hard to find one,” she said.

A police team including forensics experts which arrived shortly, broke open the door rushed the family to a hospital where they were declared dead,

“We have sent the bodies for post mortem. An FIR has been filed against the man for murder. It is because of his statements in the suicide note and also that there was no forced entry to the house besides the room of the couple was locked from inside,” said one of the police officers investigating the incident.

“He has also mentioned in the suicide note that there was some cash lying in the house and all the last rites of the victims should be performed with the same money,” the officer, said.

Pradeep’s father who is a retired defence personnel filed an FIR under for abetting suicide, attempt to murder and murder at the Masuri police station.