Thane Tragedy: Shahapur Woman Arrested For Poisoning Her Three Daughters Amid Financial Struggles

In connection with the deaths of three minor girls due to suspected food poisoning in Shahapur, police have arrested their mother, Sandhya Sandeep Bhere. She was taken into custody late Saturday night and produced before the Shahapur court on Sunday, which remanded her to police custody for five days for further investigation.

The accused, Sandhya Sandeep Bhere, is a resident of Shahapur in Thane district. She lived with her husband, Sandeep Bhere, and their three daughters — Kavya (10), Divya (8), and Gargi (5). Sandhya had been married to Sandeep for the past ten years. However, due to marital disputes, including allegations of alcohol abuse, she separated from him in 2023 and moved with the children to her maternal home in Talepada, Asnoli village, Shahapur. The couple had not legally divorced.

According to police officials, relatives grew suspicious about Sandhya’s involvement in the deaths and alerted the authorities. A team led by Police Inspector Nitin Khairnar, Woman Inspector Mohini Kapile, and PSI Rameshwar Talekar reached the village to question her. During interrogation, Sandhya allegedly confessed to poisoning her daughters, citing extreme frustration and financial hardship. She said she was struggling to bear the expenses of raising three children alone.

Police stated that on July 20, she allegedly mixed an antiseptic liquid (a form of poison) into rice and pulses during lunch. Initially, a case of accidental death was registered, but following her confession, an FIR was filed under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Sandhya worked at a logistics company in Shahapur, earning around ₹12,000 per month. Her husband, Sandeep Bhere, is an autorickshaw driver.

Inspector Khairnar told The Free Press Journal that the viscera samples of the deceased have been preserved and will be sent to a forensic lab to identify the specific poison used. “We are investigating the case from other angles as well,” he added.

Following the meal on July 20, the children began vomiting and were rushed to the Shahapur Primary Health Centre. One of the girls, in critical condition, was referred to SMBT Hospital in Ghoti, Nashik, while the other two were sent to Nair Hospital in Mumbai. Tragically, Kavya and Gargi died on July 24, and Divya succumbed on Friday.

The incident has deeply shocked the local community. Police confirmed that Sandhya had been living separately with her daughters in Asnoli since 2023.