Delhi man strangles minor daughter, kills wife, himself

A 55-year-old man strangled his five-year-old daughter and clubbed his wife to death before committing suicide by consuming poison, police said on Friday.

Mahesh, 55, Ranjana, 35, and Lado, 5, were residents of Sanjay Colony in south Delhi, police said. While Mahesh worked as a cook, her wife worked in a factory.

The killings and suicide came to light on Friday morning when Ranjana's nephew, who had come to stay with the family 15 days ago, knocked on the door of the couple's room.

After he got no response, a tenant forced open the door. Police was later informed of the incident.

"A call was received around 11 a.m. that three bodies has been found in a room," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East) Rajeev Ranjan said.

"The couple fought frequently. Even on Thursday evening, they had a fight," a senior police officer told IANS.

"Mahesh strangled his minor daughter and fatally hit his wife with a wooden stick on her head before consuming poison," the officer said, adding, "a forensic team collected evidence from the crime spot".

This was Mahesh's second marriage. Two of his daughters from the previous marriage are married. His 17-year-old son from the previous marriage had gone to his maternal parents' house while his unmarried daughter too was away at her married sister's house.

--IANS

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