Bank clerk kills wife,daughter before taking own life

Kamble,his 28-year-old wife Veena and daughter Akruti were found dead on Monday morning. Kamble’s suicide note said he was taking the extreme step due to ‘family problems and financial trouble.’ The incident comes at a time Pune is registering an increase in suicide cases. Police records show that the number of people committing suicide was increasing sharply in Pune. According to a report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and also the “Crime in Maharashtra 2009” report published by the CID,Pune ranks second in suicide rate after Mumbai.

As many as 612 Puneites,including 200 women,committed suicide in the city in 2008. The number was 583 in 2007 and 512 in 2006. In 2008,the number of suicides in Mumbai was 1111.

In the latest incident,Kambles’ housemaid went to the apartment on the second floor of the multi-storeyed building around 9 am and when nobody opened the door,informed neighbours and Kamble’s mother staying in a nearby building. The watchman of the housing society entered Kamble’s terrace from an adjoining one and saw Kamble hanging from a ceiling fan.

The society members called the police. Kamble’s mother Anuradha and other family members also reached the spot. A police team opened the door of the apartment using another set of keys available with his family members. Police found a suicide note placed on the refrigerator. Police also recovered milk and a bottle containing traces of a poisonous chemical. The bodies were taken to Aundh General Hospital for post-mortem.

“Kamble has mentioned in his note dated December 6 that he was depressed due to family problems and financial trouble due to which he has strangulated his wife and daughter and was hanging himself. Kamble said nobody should be held responsible for the incident,” said police inspector Mahadev Chavan of Chatushringi police station.

Police said Kamble had been a clerk in a private bank for the last five months. Earlier,he assisted his brother in his business. He got married about five years ago. Police said Kamble owned the apartment and had been residing there since 2004.

Last Friday,sharebroker Amit Heramb (38) was found dead at his residence in Wanavdi. Police said he had committed suicide about a week before the body was found. The incident came to light when his wife who was in Delhi came to Pune as he had not received her calls after November 26. He left a suicide note saying he was taking the extreme step for getting peace.

On October 9,a businessman,Chandmal Chaganlal Agarwal (46),his wife,Rajkumari,and two children died after consuming pesticide at their apartment in Kothrud. Police found a suicide note that said he had been receiving threat calls from debtors. It was also known that Agarwal’s wife was a patient of cancer in the terminal stages. Four persons,including a policeman,whose names were mentioned in the note,were arrested later.

Psychiatrist Ulhas Luktuke said in urban areas like Pune,suicide victims were persons in the 30- 40 age bracket. “Frustration from failures in achieving goals is increasing among urban people,” he said.