Ex-serviceman kills daughter

PUNE, FEB 17: A 42-year-old retired Maratha Light Infantry jawan allegedly murdered his daughter early on Monday when she said she was ho...

PUNE, FEB 17: A 42-year-old retired Maratha Light Infantry jawan allegedly murdered his daughter early on Monday when she said she was homesick.

The ex-serviceman, Suresh Pandurang Tekade, had come to Pune from his village in Amravati district to claim dues which he believed the army owed him when his daughter insisted they return home.

Twelve-year-old Vaishali alias Sonu Tekade was found in a pool of blood at Bogra Walking Plaza with at least half-a-dozen deep wounds on her neck, face, stomach and hands at around 7 am.

On being informed about the incident by Subhedar Major Omprakash Srivijaykrishna Pandit, Wanowrie police shifted the girl to Sassoon Hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.

Vaishali8217;s father, who was spotted loitering about a short distance from where the body was found, was arrested on the murder charge.

Vaishali8217;s six-year-old sister Devyani and five-year-old brother Omchand, who were accompanying Tekade, have confirmed that their sister was slain by Tekade.

Ablood-stained kukri has been recovered from Tekade, who has refused to talk to investigators claiming he has been observing a maun vrat for the past year, inspector in-charge of Wanowrie police station Babajan Tamboli said.

Story continues below this ad

Preliminary investigations have revealed that Tekade, who worked with the 56th battalion of Maratha Light Infantry, retired in 1983. The ex-serviceman, who believed that the army was to pay him some dues, had been meeting several officials at the battalion headquarters since January 19.

The officials summoned Tekade8217;s brother from Amravati on January 24 and asked him to take the ex-serviceman away when they failed to convince him that all his dues had been paid, Tamboli said.

Tekade returned with his children on Sunday and met the officials. Later in the evening, the family was spotted at the plaza and chased away by some jawans on guard duty.

Devyani and Omchand told the police that Vaishali, who missed their mother, insisted that they go home when they returned tothe plaza later in the night. Tekade then allegedly attacked Vaishali with the kukri when she began to cry, they added.