Maha: Man stabs 22-year-old woman, then attempts suicide

A youth in Maharashtra's Thane district on Tuesday allegedly stabbed to death a 22-year-old woman and then attempted suicide and is battling for life in a hospital, police said.

At around 2pm, Kundan Acharya, in his 20s, stabbed Ankita Rawal (22) several times inside his shop on Talao Road in the district's Bhayander area, a Navghar police station official said.

"Acharya was present in the shop as his elder brother had gone out. When the victim came to the shop, he took her inside, downed the shutters and stabbed her. She died instantly," he said.

Acharya then tried to commit suicide by stabbing himself but was saved by people in the vicinity after he ran out of the shop writhing in pain, the official said.

"He was rushed to hospital and his condition is critical. We are probing every angle, including a love affair. The victim told her family that she was going out to buy vegetables. We will question Acharya after getting the go- ahead about his condition from medical authorities," he said.