It is almost one year, but the Pant Nagar police has not been able to solve the mystery of the death of a young Ghatkopar-based couple. The nude bodies of Deepak Shah (44) and Tina Shah (39) were found in the bathroom of their rented apartment in Kukreja Palace building, Vallabh Baug Lane, Ghatkopar (East) last March 8, after taking part in a Holi celebration. They were reportedly in a relationship.
Rajawadi hospital staff yet to open Forensics report
The Kalina Forensics Science Laboratory (FSL), which examined the visceras, handed over its examination report back to the Rajawadi municipal Hospital’s post-mortem department in November 2023. However, the staff at Rajawadi hospital is yet to open the report sent from Kalina. The police say that they cannot proceed further with their investigation unless they receive copy of the post-mortem report. However, sources said if the police want they can get the officials concerned to expedite the report.
The Free Press Journal twice contacted a senior official at the postmortem department which has been given the responsibility to come up with a final report on the cause of death. Two weeks ago, the official concerned at Rajawadi Hospital told this newspaper that he had gone on a ‘leave’ and hence couldn’t check the file. On Saturday, when he was asked again about the status of the examination, he said, “It’s yet to be checked. The process has not been initiated yet, but we will do it soon.”
Details of mysterious deaths
After attending a Holi party in Juhu, the duo returned home in the afternoon on the same day. After multiple calls and doorbells went unanswered, the house help of the Shahs contacted the relatives who used a spare key to enter the apartment only to find the couple lying naked inside the bathroom. They were taken to Rajawadi Hospital by the police but were declared dead before arrival by the hospital authorities.
Possible causes for the deaths
Several speculations had loomed including the bathroom geyser’s gas leak or bhang consumption as the cause of death but nothing has been proved till date.
Before the FSL was handed over the responsibility to find out the cause of death, a month after their death, the post-mortem department had ruled out ‘suffocation’ as the cause of death which brought to the second possibility of ‘poisoning’ as the couple had attended a Holi party before their death. The couple’s viscera, stomach wash, blood sample and vomit particles (which were found next to the bodies) were then sent to the FSL for an in-depth forensic examination.
In August, almost six months later, FSL’s report ruled out poisoning as they found nothing in the samples that could have led to poisoning including toxicants or alcohol particles. In November again the postmortem department was asked to determine the cause of death by further examination including the findings of FSL.
Yet, almost 11 months after the couple’s death – the reason why the couple died is still a mystery.
Police at Pant Nagar, where the case of accidental death is registered, are as oblivious as they were on day one. “Nothing can be determined unless the medical reports arrive”, has been the one statement every officer involved in the case has told the media including FPJ.
