Kin of host wanted to kill her husband and in-laws
KHALAPUR: The police have arrested 23-year-old Pradnya Survase for having poisoned the food that was served at a gathering in Mahad on Monday and claiming the lives of five guests. Survase is related to Subhas Mane, who was the host. According to the police, Survase had wanted to kill her husband and in-laws–all of whom were present at the gathering -- because they had allegedly victimised her.
“Pradnya claims that since her marriage two years ago, she has been insulted regularly for her dark complexion and accused of not being able to cook well,” said Vishwajeet Kaingade, senior inspector of Khalapur police station. “She has named her mother in-law, Sindhu Survase, husband Suresh Govind Survase, sisters in-law Ujwala Pawar and Jyoti Ashok Kadam, and her mother in-law’s sister Sarita Mane and Sarita’s husband, Subhash Mane for the alleged torture.” The police said Survase had confessed to mixing a powder that is supposed to kill snakes into the dal that was served to later batches of guests. Vilash Thikrey, 13, who survived food poisoning on Monday told HT that he remembered the dal tasting “bitter”. Survase, who is divorced from her first husband, believes her first marriage broke down because another relative, Ulka Shinde, had “cast aspersions on her character”, said the police. She has alleged Shinde was damaging her second marriage in a similar way.
“She [Shinde] had been taunting her [Survase’s] mother in-law for bringing Pradnya into the family. This too had led to problems in Pradnya’s married life,” Subhas Mane had invited over 120 people to a housewarming feast on Monday. Within hours of eating, three children died Five people died of which four are children, while 88 others suffered serious symptoms People who ate in later batches were affected as the poison mixed then
said Kaingade. On Monday, Mane had invited more than 120 people to a housewarming in Mahad. Shinde and her family were among the guests. The puja was followed by meal cooked on site by a village maharaj (cook). Food was served from 2.30-11.30pm.
People who had eaten in later batches started complaining of nausea, vomiting and stomach ache a few hours later. One of them, Rishikesh, was Shinde’s son. On Thursday, Vijay Shinde (not related to Ulka Shinde), 11, died at Chirayu Hospital in Panvel and Gopinath Nakure, 53, passed away at Sukham Hospital.
This raises the number of casualties to five, of which four are children while 84 others suffered less serious symptoms. “We learnt that those who had eaten between 4.30pm and 6pm were suffering from nausea and other issues. We then found out who had served the food then,” said Kaingade on Thursday. Those members of Mane’s family who had been serving at the time were questioned. This included Survase, who confessed to her crime, following sustained interrogation. The police said she had chosen the housewarming because she knew all those she wanted to kill would eat there. “She took the powder to Mane’s house. Those she wanted to kill ate the food, before she could mix the poison,” said Kaingade. “Around 4.30pm, Sarita Mane, Jyoti Kadam and Ulka Shinde’s kids sat down to eat. Pradnya then decided to kill them and mixed the poison in the dal bucket,” he said.