Mumbai: Grant road murders by man who went on stabbing spree done in cold blood, not in fit of rage, probe indicates

The murder of three people in a chawl on Friday was done in cold blood and not in a fit of rage, fresh findings indicate.

𝗔𝗰𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸

The accused, Chetan Gala, had bought a large knife a few days ago, according to sources. However, a family member noticed the knife and objected to Gala having it, prompting him to disposed off the weapon. However, the accused later purchased another knife which he used to stab his neighbours at the chawl near Apsara cinema on Lamington Road.

𝟱𝟰-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗖 𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝟮𝟵

The 54-year-old man, who had also grievously injured two people, was produced at the Esplanade metropolitan court on Saturday and remanded in police custody till March 29. DB Marg police arrested Gala and booked him for murder among other charges under the Indian Penal Code.

Gala was overpowered by neighbours but managed to run and lock himself up in his room.

Police personnel then spoke to him for 20 minutes, calming him down and removing him from the flat.

𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆

Gala had come out of his house at at 3.30 pm on Friday and stabbed his neighbour Ilaben Mistry, according to police. Hearing Ilaben's cries, her husband Jayendrabhai Mistry rushed out and was also attacked. The commotion attracted the attention of Snehal Brahmbhatt, 44, who lived on the first floor. She and her daughter Jenil Brahmbhatt, 18, ran upstairs and were stabbed brutally by Gala, who also attacked his house help Prakash Waghmare (53).

Gala then caught hold of a 10-year-old boy but let him go and rushed to his residence when other residents raised an alarm.

Jenil's mother Snehal and Gala's former help Prakash Waghmare are undergoing treatment in hospital.

𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗲𝗱: 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹

"During preliminary interrogation, the accused said that his wife, son Dipen (24) and two teenaged daughters were not staying with him for the last two months and he suspected that his neighbours had instigated his wife," said a police official. "Gala is mentally disturbed but is not undergoing any treatment," the official said.

Police said Gala's wife and their children were living in the house of Gala's parents in a nearby building and she would send him lunch and dinner every day. Gala, who has been living in the building for 15 years, has a shop in south Mumbai, which he has given on rent.

Published on: Saturday, March 25, 2023, 11:10 PM IST