DNA
Mumbai, Oct 12: Vasant Pujari, 40, suspected his wife’s fidelity and constantly fought with her. On Wednesday night, he could take it no more and clobbered her to death with an iron rod at their Wadala residence. This Pujari himself admitted on Thursday, after he was thwarted by a police patrol from immolating himself and his two sons in Bhoiwada court premises.
It was around 12 noon on Thursday, when Pujari entered the court with Vishwanath, 15 and Kiran, 10. According to police, he carried with him a jerrican containing kerosene, which he poured on himself and his two sons.
Then he yelled to stunned onlookers and lawyers, “My wife cheats on me. I want to wipe off my entire family.” As he was about to strike the match, a police patrol rushed in and foiled his bid. He and his sons were taken to Bhoiwada police station.
After regaining composure, Pujari told police how in a fit of rage, he had clobbered his wife, Vinita, 35, to death. “I was fed up with the constant insecurity of life. I murdered my wife, and wanted to end my life as well”, he wailed.
A police team rushed to the Pujaris residence at Anandwadi and found Vinita’s body lying in a corner. Initial investigations revealed that the couple used to fight frequently.
Pujari, who had been a clerk at a private firm, took voluntary retirement three years ago, and had ever since been running errands to make a living. Their neighbours told police that Pujari often got drunk and beat up his wife.
About Vinita they said that she had never been unfaithful to her husband. It was Pujari’s insecurity that used to trigger domestic spats.
“Nobody has come forward to substantiate Pujari’s claim of his wife being unfaithful,” said a police officer. Police plan to record statements of relatives too to get more personal details about the couple.
Pujari’s sons and daughter Amruta, 18, study in a municipal school. “The children are shattered. We are waiting for them to recover so that we can record their statements”, said Kader Khan, senior inspector, Wadala police station.
Pujari was arrested under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 309 (attempt to commit suicide). He would be produced in Bhoiwada court for remand on Friday.