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Journalism of Courage
MUMBAI, JAN 9: In a tragic incident a Bhandup slumdweller Sinappa Sakara Das (30) crushed his wife, daughter and nephew to death with a grinding stone before hanging himself early this morning.
While the Bhandup police are still figuring out the real motive it is believed that a domestic dispute may have been the cause.The wife Nirmala (25) and nephew John Kaundal (12) had their heads crushed while the daughter’s torso had been smashed by the grinding stone.
Neighbours broke into the house through the asbestos roofing when the door remained closed till past 10.00 am.
Sinappa was given to drunkeness bouts and would get into regular fights with Nirmala according to her sister Selvi (45) who lives nearby. The couple had reportedly fought three days ago and were not talking to each other.
“However we never suspected he would take such a drastic step”she told Newsline.“Even if they fought why should he have killed John?” she said weeping.
The family of the nephew, the Kaundals, were in a state of shock and refused to talk. “Nothing I say and nothing anyone does will bring my son back,” cried Mary Kaundal hysterically. She had to be controlled by relatives as she beat her chest. John was their only child.
Police have registered an offence under Sec 302 of the IPC and API D P Patil is conducting further investigations. The Tulsipada area is full of shanties where the small 10×10 tenements house large families. Many of the men are unemployed and have taken to drink.
Sinappa, a daily wage labourer had run into huge debts as he had been unemployed for over three months. He had sold off most of his wife’s ornaments since their marriage and she was left with little besides her nose ring, pointed out Selvi.
