Sanjay Babu, who killed seven members of a family in Inderlok, North Delhi, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself inside Tihar Jail on Friday.
Sanjay (28) had killed the victims, his uncle Om Prakash Rathore and his family, in cold blood on July30.
Tihar Jail authorities found Sanjay hanging in his cell at Jail number one when they opened it at 3 pm. "Sanjay had hanged himself with a bedsheet," said Sunil Gupta, Tihar jail spokesperson.
Undertrials are allowed to move in the premises till 12 pm, after which they stay locked up in their cells till 3 pm. Sanjay shared his cell with two other undertrials, Rehman and Nand Kishore.
"Rehman was at a court hearing, while Nand Kishore was sleeping inside. Sanjay hanged himself in the courtyard of the cell," Gupta added.
On the intervening night of July 30-31, Sanjay had slit the throats of the members of the entire Rathore family, including their 8-year-old son Aman. He then tried to burn the bodies of Rathore and his wife Santosh to destroy evidence. To confuse investigators, he removed clothes of Rathore's daughter, Manju (21), Babita (18), Dolly (16) and Pooja (15) and covered them with quilts.
Police arrested Sanjay on August 6. He told them that revenge was his motive for the murders. He said after a dispute Om Prakash Rathore had thrown out his family from his house a few years back. He also suspected the family had a lot of money.
{{/usCountry}}Police arrested Sanjay on August 6. He told them that revenge was his motive for the murders. He said after a dispute Om Prakash Rathore had thrown out his family from his house a few years back. He also suspected the family had a lot of money.
{{/usCountry}}On the day of the murders, he sent his uncle to buy sweets. He then slit the throat of his aunt Santosh Rathore, his mother's sister. He then hid her body on the ground floo, where the Rathore's have a cardboard factory. Sanjay then waited for Om Prakash and slashed his throat too. Rathore's four daughters and son were sleeping upstairs.
Sanjay took a bath and slept for a few hours. He then woke up the children at 3:30 am and asked the girls to go out of the room, saying he wanted to do puja. He then slit the Aman's throat and followed it by killing the girls one after the other. Before killing the eldest daughter, Manju, he demanded the cash in the house. Manju handed him Rs 30,000. Gupta said Sanjay did not seemed distressed by his act "during his counselling sessions. He however sometimes told other inmates that he regretted killing his uncle's family." An enquiry by a sub-divisonal mafgistrate has been ordered," Gupta added.
Email Sobhana K: Sobhana.k@hindustantimes.com