Accused wanted to kill couple, not girl: Police
Tells court he had failed to win back his family members who left him 50 days ago
MUMBAI: Chetan Ratanshi Gala – the 54-year-old Grant Road resident who was arrested for allegedly stabbing his five neighbours, killing three and grievously injuring two – was remanded to police custody till March 29 on Saturday.
The accused told the metropolitan magistrate court that he was worried as his family did not return even after 50 days despite repeated attempts to convince them. Gala confessed that he suspected his neighbours to have played a role in his wife and children leaving and therefore stabbed the elderly couple and later targeted whoever came across him.
Gala, a resident of Parvati
Mansion building at Dadasaheb Bhadkamkar Marg, Grant Road East, allegedly stabbed his immediate neighbours Jayendrabhai Mestry, 77, his wife Illa, 72, Snehal Brahmbhatt, 42, her daughter Jeniel, 18 and a domestic help, Prakash Waghmare, 55.
Jayendrabhai, Illa and Jeniel succumbed to the injuries on Friday, while Snehal and Waghmare are fighting for life in the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Girgaum.
“Investigation has revealed that Gala had fights with his wife almost every day over family issues. He had given his shop on rent and was jobless,” said an officer from D B Marg police station.
“As he was getting only ₹10,000 rent from the shop, he was unhappy. He had planned to sell the shop and the house, but his family opposed the idea. He had thought to purchase something in the suburbs and use the leftover money for the family’s requirements. His shop was initially on the ground floor but after the redevelopment of the building, he got a shop on the second floor which further reduced its business potential,” added the officer.
The police said the accused had issues with his next-door neighbours, the Mestry family, however, it was resolved amicably. “Though they had disputes in the past, Aruna – the wife of the accused – and Illa had started talking again and perhaps therefore Gala suspected the Mestry family had instigated his wife to leave him,” said the police officer. However, he added that the accused only targeted the Mestry family, the couple, and has been expressing remorse for killing the 18-yearold girl, Jeniel.
The police officer said the accused stabbed Illa at least seventeen times and Jayendrabhai more than 15 times. He stabbed Jeniel, an FYBSC student from KC College, once in the neck and her mother in the stomach.
“After stabbing five persons, he came towards me, shouting ab tumhara number hai,” said Jayesh Shah, who resides on the first floor of the building. On Friday, after hearing a commotion, Shah went upstairs to check what the disturbance was all about. “When he saw me, he charged towards me. Fortunately, by then my wife brought a cricket bat from our house. When I started proceeding towards him with the bat in my hand, he fled and locked himself in his house,” Shah added.