June 29,(Mid-day): The star-crossed lovers had originally met so they could commit suicide together, but instead the accused slit his girlfriend’s throat and then surrendered at the local police station

Unable to find acceptance from his girlfriend’s family, a 26-year-old murdered her and then surrendered to the local police. The star-crossed couple had originally met so they could commit suicide together, but instead, the accused slit the girl’s throat and killed her.

Prasad Sawant (26), a resident of Lalbaug, and an event manager, had been in a relationship with Lower Parel-resident Ekta Talwadkar (24) since the past 11 years (they had been neighbours in Bhandup earlier), and the two had wished to get married. When her parents did not approve of Prasad, the pair apparently decided to take their lives.

Last evening, around 7.15 pm, they met on a street outside Deepak Jyoti society at Kalachowkie, where Prasad eventually took a knife to Ekta’s throat. Prasad then turned himself in at Kalachowkie police station, where a case of murder was registered against him.

“Prasad said they were planning to commit suicide, but he slit her throat with a sharp knife. Ekta was taken to KEM Hospital where she was declared dead,” said PI Suryakant Tarade from Kalachowkie police station. Senior police sources said Prasad carried the knife with him for 15 days, suggesting it may have been a pre-meditated move.

He was reportedly an alcoholic and was drunk at the time of the incident as well. Ekta, who worked at a travel company, was the sole breadwinner of her family.
Family in shock

“Ekta’s father is in shock; he keeps saying he wishes he was dead as well,” Ekta’s uncle told mid-day. “I was opposed to their marriage, as I never liked him,” said her father, Ankush.