Mumbai:
Jealousy claimed yet another life yesterday, with a 50-year-old alcohol addict killing his 40-year-old wife on the suspicion that she was having an affair with another man.
Sanghmitra Suryavanshi then surrendered himself before the Charkop police.
According to police officials, Suryavanshi, a resident of Jivan Jyot Cooperative Society in Charkop, murdered his wife, Priti, with a sharp weapon around 8 am on Saturday after dropping off their kids, Yash and Kush (both 14), at their relatives' place in Malad.
Officials said Suryavanshi did not have a regular earning and the family was largely dependent on Priti, who worked at a beauty parlour in Churchgate, for survival.
The couple had a love marriage but fought nearly on an everyday-basis over Suryavanshi's inability to provide for the family and Priti's returning home late from work. Suryavanshi suspected that Priti was having an extra-marital affair.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kandivli division) Jayprakash Jadhav said, "The accused was addicted to alcohol and the couple fought regularly. On Friday night, the wife complained to the Charkop police after one such fight.
We detained the husband as a preventive measure and released him in two hours after he assured us that he was planning to return to his hometown in Gujarat."
When Suryavanshi began packing his bags on Saturday morning to leave for Gujarat, Priti tried to stop him. This led to another fight, prompting Suryavanshi to drop off the kids and murder his wife. He went and surrendered at the Charkop Police Station immediately after the murder.
"Suryavanshi is under arrest. He claims that his wife was having an affair, which had affected their relationship and their children," added Jadhav.