Police entered their flat after she “refused to open the door” and took her into custody. The woman’s husband has been in hospital for the past four days. (File photo)
A woman – who is facing mental health issues – allegedly strangled her two sons while they were asleep and later allegedly attacked her father-in-law, who managed to escape and alert neighbours on Thursday in Bilimora town of Navsari district, police said.
Police entered their flat after she “refused to open the door” and took her into custody. The woman’s husband has been in hospital for the past four days, police said.
Police said the incident occurred in a flat in Maharaja Apartment in the Desra area. Shivkant Sharma (33), who hails from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, works as a carpenter in Bilimora, where he has lived for around ten years with his wife Sunita, their sons aged four and seven, and his parents, Indrapal Sharma (62) and Susri Sharma (60).
On Friday, Shivkant was diagnosed with typhoid and admitted to a private hospital, where doctors said he is recovering.
According to the police, on Thursday night, Indrapal and Susri had gone to the hospital with food for Shivkant. Indrapal later returned home and went to sleep, while Susri stayed back. Sunita was in her bedroom with the children. Police said she allegedly strangled the boys while they slept and then went to Indrapal’s room, where she allegedly attacked him with a glass and bit his hand. When he tried to escape, she allegedly bit his ear. Indrapal managed to run outside and call for help, drawing neighbours to the flat. Police said Sunita allegedly locked the front door from inside and did not respond when neighbours knocked.
A team from Bilimora town police station reached the spot early Friday morning after neighbours alerted them. They broke open the door and found Sunita in her bedroom, near the bodies of the two children, they said. The bodies were sent for post-mortem. Indrapal later filed a complaint of murder and attempt to murder at the Bilimora police station.
Navsari Deputy Superintendent of Police B V Gohil said, “ We have taken her to a psychiatrist in the hospital and found that she is mentally unsound. She told us that she had done such an act for ‘Pitrumoksh’. The family is a middle-class family, and all the family members are educated, including the accused, who has a degree in arts from Jaunpur in UP. She told us that somebody had been coming into her dreams for the past two days and told her that she had to sacrifice her two sons, and later, all things would be normal in her life. She got married in 2016 to Shivkant and moved to Bilimora. She was also tense over her husband’s illness. We will keep a psychiatric doctor with us and question her.”
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He added that during questioning, Sunita allegedly admitted to the strangling.
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More