29-year-old kills wife, sits with body for two days; tries to kill self in Mumbai

Padihari, originally from Jharkhand, had married Suman, 20, last year. He worked in a garment factory and is allegedly an alcoholic.

A 29-year-old man from Pratiksha Nagar who tried to commit suicide after sitting by his wife’s dead body for two days, was charged with murdering her. Wadala Police arrested Sanjay Kumar Padihari on Friday. Padihari has been booked under sections 302 (murder), 498A (subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 309 (attempted suicide) of the Indian Penal Code.

When the police entered Padihari’s home, they found Suman’s dead body and Padihari lying next to her, unconscious.

Padihari, originally from Jharkhand, had married Suman, 20, last year. He worked in a garment factory and is allegedly an alcoholic. “Suman’s brother and mother said that Padihari would often beat her,” said senior police inspector Rajendra Sangale of Wadala police station.

On May 19, Padihari came home inebriated. Suman, who had been keeping unwell for the past few days, was upset that he had not given her money for medicine, but had spent it on buying alcohol. In the course of the fight, Padihari allegedly assaulted Suman, slamming her head against a wall multiple times, said a police officer. She sustained a skull fracture and other injuries, which caused her death. Later, when Padihari was questioned on Friday, he would confess to killing Suman. “He [Padihari] said that after murdering his wife, he sat beside her body for over two days,” said Sangale.

When Suman’s dead body started decomposing, a scared Padihari left the house on May 21 and returned drunk. He then locked himself inside and attempted to kill himself. Neighbours informed the police control room that a foul smell was coming from Padihari’s house the same evening.

When the police entered Padihari’s home, they found Suman’s dead body and Padihari lying next to her, unconscious.

The police rushed Padihari to Sion Hospital and when he gained consciousness, Padihari told the police that he’d found Suman dead in her sleep upon returning home on Sunday night. The police registered an accidental death report. Padihari was discharged from Sion Hospital on Wednesday.

However, when the post-mortem report of the dead body came on Friday, the police realised Suman’s death had been unnatural. “On Friday, we received post-mortem report which stated that the woman died of skull fracture and physical assault,” said Sangale. Padihari was brought in for questioning and arrested when he confessed to his crime. He has been remanded in police custody till May 28.