A family of four — an aged couple and two sons — whose bodies were found on Wednesday, ended their lives by consuming poison at their residence at the Aditya Shagun (Phase I) Cooperative Society in Bavdhan, under the Hinjewadi police station.
The victims have been identified as AT Narayan (65), his wife Indira (60), elder son Vishnuvardhan (35) and younger son Madhusudhan (28). The victims, in a signed five-page suicide note in English, blamed Sangita, Vishnuvardhan’s wife, of causing mental agony and trauma to them, following which they decided to end their lives.
Sangita, a management graduate, was at her parents place in Madurai when the incident took place. When DNA contacted her, she initially thought that it was a joke that her husband was no more. But later she was shocked and did not speak.
The victims’ neighbours informed the police about the foul smell coming from the flat. The four victims were found dead in the bedroom. The police recovered a whisky bottle, a soft drink bottle, two soda water bottles and honey bottles.
The Hinjewadi police have registered a case of accidental death. Police sub-inspector Ramesh Pawar, who is investigating the case, said the family hailed from Madurai and had settled in Pune five years ago.
Vishnuvardhan worked as a software analyst with JP Morgan, a leading financial services firm, and was posted in Mumbai.
His father is a retired government official from Tamil Nadu.
Madhusudhan had recently retuned to India after completing his masters in business management in the US. Vishnuvardhan too had worked for a few years there before coming back to India ahead of his marriage in October last year.
The police, quoting the suicide note, said the problem began after the company transferred him to Mumbai from Nigdi.
Deputy commissioner of police (zone III) Dnyaneshwar Chavan said the suicide note dated March 20 was kept inside a file on a table on the drawing room. “They could have committed suicide on that day itself,” he said.
According to Chavan, the victims said in the suicide note that there were frequent fights between Vishnuvardhan and Sangita.
“Since Vishnuvardhan was working in Mumbai, Sangita was insisting that the couple take a flat in Mumbai and stay there, which Vishnuvardhan did not want,” Chavan said, adding that Vishnuvardhan wanted her to stay with the family and he used to travel from Pune to Mumbai for work.
The dispute came to such a pass that Sangita walked out of the house and went to stay with her parents in Madurai. Both the families had tried to sort out the issue, but in vain.
“In the suicide note, the victims claimed that Sangita had threatened to lodge a case of dowry harassment against them.
The victims were under great stress,” police officials said.
Indira’s brother, NR Ramamurthy, who rushed from Bangalore on Thursday, said that a meeting was arranged last week between Vishnuvardhan and Sangita in Bangalore.
“But Sangita did not come and the victims were really dejected,” he said. Chavan said they are probing the matter. “We will record statements of the victims’ relatives and scrutinise the call records, emails and other details before filing a case against Sangita,” he added.
Ashok Lawate, manager of the residential society said, “The family was extremely cordial and maintained friendly relations with neighbours. On Wednesday evening, the residents complained about the foul smell. On thorough inspection, we traced it to their home on second floor,” he added.
He said Indira had visited the society’s office recently informing that Vishnuvardhan wanted to meet Lawate to transfer the flat’s ownership in Indira’s name.
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