Kids drugged, then hanged

In one of the most shocking cases of last year, where a family of four was found hanging from a pipe on the terrace of a building in Mulund, forensic experts have found that the children were tranquilised before being strangled and hanged.

Bharat Ovhal, 38 a businessman residing in Suryadarshan Colony, his wife Sushma, 32 and children Sakhsi, 7 and Sumit, 5 were found hanging on May 19.

Investigators thought they had died of hanging but further investigations, carried out by experts at the Kalina forensic science laboratory, revealed other things.

“Though there were strangulation marks on both the children’s neck and cause of death was strangulation, they had fallen unconscious before being killed. Aprazolam, a tranquliser, was found in their body, which could have been used by the parents so that they could strangulate them when they were unconscious,” said an expert from the toxicology department. He added, “There was a good amount of Aprazolam in their bodies. The children must have been unconscious for long, giving the parents time to hang them.”

The four lived in a joint family consisting of Bharat’s three brothers and their families. Though a suicide note was found from the terrace, which said that no one should be held responsible for this step taken by the deceased, it did not mention any reason.

It came to light that Bharat earlier suffered from depression and had taken counselling for it after which he had become better. Some financial problem is being suspected as the reason.