Kharghar murder-suicide: Pakistani man ‘kills wife, self’; family was set to return home

NAVI MUMBAI: A 45-year-old Pakistani national is suspected to have stabbed to death his wife, also a Pakistani, with a kitchen knife and then died by suicide at their rental flat in Kharghar on Monday.

The wife had stab injuries on the neck, back and shoulder.Deepak Surve, senior inspector, Kharghar police, said the man, Notan Das alias Sanjay Sachdeva, was accused of assaulting his wife, Sapna Das (35), in front of some neighbours last month, but the woman refused to lodge a complaint against him.The couple arrived in India with their two minor children on long-term visa more than six months ago. Sapna's sister, Sangeeta Makhija, who is an Indian citizen, took a flat on rent for them in Dolphine Pride Society in Sector 34, Kharghar.

Makhija was reportedly taking care of their financial needs. A senior police officer said following the recent hostilities between India and Pakistan, the couple was in the process of completing the administrative formalities of returning home.Surve said when the younger child returned from his coaching class on Monday, he found the main door locked from the inside. His sibling was not at home either. "There was no response to repeated knocks. The child sought the help of a neighbour, who entered the flat through a common balcony. The neighbour found the couple in a pool of blood," said Surve.After last month's alleged assault, Makhija had sought police's help but they expressed helplessness after Sapna refused to file a complaint.