60-year-old man kills wife in Bhiwandi

A 60-year-old man killed his wife and fled from their home in Bhiwandi on Thursday. The police suspect that the man was depressed following losses in his transport business and this may have led to the brutal murder.

Vinod Jha lived with his 56-year-old wife Malti, 37-year-old son Prakash and elderly mother in Ashtavinayak Park in Kamatghar, Bhiwandi. On the morning of April 12, Prakash left for work, he runs a private coaching class in the area, while his grandmother left at around 8 am for a walk in a garden nearby. When she returned two hours later, she found the house locked from outside. "She then called up Prakash for an alternate set of keys," said investigating officer Vishni Awhad from Narpoli police station, Bhiwandi.

On opening the door, they found Malti lying in a pool of blood while Vinod was missing. Awhad added, "Vinod cut his wife's throat with an iron sickle, locked the door and left. He had a transport business which had run into losses. He used to be depressed about it." The family also often argued over Vinod's unmarried son.

"We are investigating whether depression due to losses in business or his son being unmarried is the reason behind the drastic act," said Awhad. "The neighbours, however, say that they never heard any arguments or fights from the Jha residence so nothing can be said as of now," added the officer. The police have registered a case under section 302 (murder) of the Indian penal code and are looking for Vinod.