Mumbai: A 79-year-old retired CEO of a private company was booked on Friday for attempting to murder his wife by repeatedly stabbing her in the back of her head with a set of five kitchen knives in the wee hours of the day. Vishnukant Belur, the accused, then attempted to slash his own neck and die by suicide. Both Vishnukant and his 76-year-old wife Shakuntala survived, and have been hospitalised.
Police said Shankuntala was in critical condition.
Vishnukant told investigators that he and his wife were both ailing for several years and he was fed up of caring for her. Police will take a decision on whether to arrest him post his discharge from hospital, considering that his physical and mental health are frail.
Only on Thursday, the couple had hired a house help, Anita Thorat, to care for Shakuntala for 12 hours a day.
‘Rtd CEO said he was fed up of life, wished to free himself’
Vishnukant Belur, the retired CEO of a private firm who tried to kill his ailing wife Shakuntala by repeatedly stabbing her with kitchen knives, told police they lived by themselves in Kandivali (East). Their son is based overseas. Vishnukant said both he and his wife were diabetic. While Shakuntala is bedridden, he has limited mobility and uses a walker. Anita Thorat, whom the couple had hired to look after Shakuntala, told TOI, “I was desperately in need of work and was happy to have got the job.
On Thursday, I made tea and snacks for the couple and worked for Shankuntala from 8am to 8pm. Both of them did not speak to me much.” On Friday, when she reported to work at 8am, no one answered the door. Thorat called up Vishnukant but there was no response. She then approached a security guard who also dialled Vishnukant but got no response. Concerned, the guard went up to the couple’s flat with Thorat. This time, the door was open. “Shakuntala was on the floor in a pool of blood, only partially conscious. The walls and her bed were splattered with blood. Vishnukant was seated on a chair in the living room. I was terrified and we summoned the neighbours,” Thorat said.
According to Thorat’s police statement, Vishnukant told neighbours that Shakuntala had asked him to fetch her sweets around 2am, which he did. Sometime later, she once again asked him for a sweet and some water. He said he was fed up of his life and and caring for his wife and wanted to be free. A neighbour dialled the police control room after Vishnukant pointed to injuries on his neck. Police rushed the couple to a hospital. Investigators said Vishnukant stabbed Shakuntala behind her head and ear nine to 10 times between 3am and 4am. She, however, did not raise an alarm. He then slashed his own neck. He stayed with her at home for four hours, even as she continued to bleed profusely, till the house help and guard discovered them.
Police said Shankuntala was in critical condition.
Vishnukant told investigators that he and his wife were both ailing for several years and he was fed up of caring for her. Police will take a decision on whether to arrest him post his discharge from hospital, considering that his physical and mental health are frail.
Only on Thursday, the couple had hired a house help, Anita Thorat, to care for Shakuntala for 12 hours a day.
‘Rtd CEO said he was fed up of life, wished to free himself’
Vishnukant Belur, the retired CEO of a private firm who tried to kill his ailing wife Shakuntala by repeatedly stabbing her with kitchen knives, told police they lived by themselves in Kandivali (East). Their son is based overseas. Vishnukant said both he and his wife were diabetic. While Shakuntala is bedridden, he has limited mobility and uses a walker. Anita Thorat, whom the couple had hired to look after Shakuntala, told TOI, “I was desperately in need of work and was happy to have got the job.
On Thursday, I made tea and snacks for the couple and worked for Shankuntala from 8am to 8pm. Both of them did not speak to me much.” On Friday, when she reported to work at 8am, no one answered the door. Thorat called up Vishnukant but there was no response. She then approached a security guard who also dialled Vishnukant but got no response. Concerned, the guard went up to the couple’s flat with Thorat. This time, the door was open. “Shakuntala was on the floor in a pool of blood, only partially conscious. The walls and her bed were splattered with blood. Vishnukant was seated on a chair in the living room. I was terrified and we summoned the neighbours,” Thorat said.
According to Thorat’s police statement, Vishnukant told neighbours that Shakuntala had asked him to fetch her sweets around 2am, which he did. Sometime later, she once again asked him for a sweet and some water. He said he was fed up of his life and and caring for his wife and wanted to be free. A neighbour dialled the police control room after Vishnukant pointed to injuries on his neck. Police rushed the couple to a hospital. Investigators said Vishnukant stabbed Shakuntala behind her head and ear nine to 10 times between 3am and 4am. She, however, did not raise an alarm. He then slashed his own neck. He stayed with her at home for four hours, even as she continued to bleed profusely, till the house help and guard discovered them.
