Ghatkopar couple’s mysterious death: Investigate gas leakage from geyser, say experts

Deepak and Tina Shah, the deceased couple

With the sudden death of a couple, whose bodies were found in the bathroom of their flat in a Ghatkopar high-rise remaining a mystery, Mumbai's forensic experts give inputs on possible clues to solving the case. One of them suggested an inspection of the geyser in their bathroom. The post mortem of the Pant Nagar couple, Deepak Shah, 45, and Tina Shah, 39, was inconclusive, leading cops to look at all possible angles to find out the cause of their death. Their bodies were found on the bathroom floor on March 8 evening, at Kukreja Palace.

The Pant Nagar cops, who were unable to trace their activity for six hours before death, have got some clarity after speaking to the residents and examining CCTV camera footage. "The geyser has been checked by experts and it didn't show any leakage. To get more clarity on the death of the couple, chemical analysis of the samples is crucial. We are going to write to the Forensic Science Laboratory, Kalina to analyse the samples on priority and give a report as soon as possible," DCP (Zone 7) Purushottam Karad said. "The couple returned home around 3.55 pm to 4 pm, which is after the Holi party," DCP Karad.

Kukreja Palace where the couple lived

"However, it's still unclear whether they left home again. There is another statement of a watchman who says he saw them returning home around 9.30 pm, so there is a possibility that they had gone out again," he added. Police have recorded the statements of 10 people, including their parents, house help, an uncle and friends who were with the couple at the Holi bash. Their families have not filed any complaint yet, the DCP said.

Meanwhile, police are also examining their call data records for the past three months. "We are calling everyone who has called or received calls from the deceased over this period. We need to check if there is anyone with a criminal background or a connection with any drug peddler," said a cop.

Also read: Mumbai: Where was Ghatkopar couple for six hours?

Reason behind deaths?

It has come to the fore that the Shahs' is not an isolated incident. In the past five years, three other couples died mysteriously during the Holi festival. And all these cases point to a single probable cause: carbon dioxide poisoning due to leakage in a defective gas geyser. According to forensic experts, the couples, if intoxicated, could not have sensed the threat, as the carbon monoxide poisoning due to gas geyser leakage often causes ‘complete blackout leading to heavy breathing' inside a closed room.

Ghaziabad cases

Deepak Goyal, 40, and Shilpi, 36, were also found dead inside their bathroom that had a gas geyser. A media report says that a police officer, who reached the spot, felt suffocated when he went inside. The cops are finding it difficult to solve this mysterious death. Neeraj Singhania, a 38-year-old deputy general manager in an international cellular company, and his wife Ruchi, 35, who worked at an MNC in Noida, died in their bathroom after playing Holi in 2018. They died due to prolonged exposure to toxic gases, including carbon monoxide. Though the immediate cause of their deaths remained inconclusive, later, it was learnt that their vital organs were found congested due to toxic gas, media reports stated.

Shocked neighbours gather in the compound. File pics/Rajesh Gupta

Karnal case

A newlywed couple, Gaurav, 26, and Shilpa, 25, in Karnal died last year after playing Holi. The relatives found them unconscious in the bathroom.

Experts Speak

Experts said there has been striking similarities between these cases. Speaking on the Ghatkopar incident, Dr Harish Pathak, head of forensic medicine and toxicology, KEM hospital, said, "The situation in which the couple was found dead gives rise to numerous possibilities. But, firstly, the fire brigade and the gas provider should inspect the geyser to make sure there is no leakage. Also, the food and liquid intake of the couple needs to be established, which will be revealed by their viscera and stomach wash, and by their friends who were with them."

"The blood, viscera and stomach wash are critical to finding the cause of the deaths. If done properly, it will give the exact reason," he added. Another forensic expert, requesting anonymity, said, "The forensic experts should examine the entire flat for fingerprints or any traces of medicines." "Though the cops have found that the geyser was switched off when the doors were broken, there is a high possibility that one of them might have switched it off in a semiconscious state," he added.

Gas vs electric geysers

In modern fittings, users prefer installing a gas geyser, because it heats water faster than the electric ones. Also the gas geyser never runs out of hot water, unlike the electric ones, which have tanks to hold hot water. The incomplete combustion of LPG in the gas geyser releases various toxic gases, including carbon monoxide that causes sudden loss of consciousness inside an ill-ventilated bathroom. The cascading effects of sudden loss of consciousness often lead to head injuries, seizures, cardiac arrest, etc.

Gas geysers in well-ventilated bathrooms

The gas geyser must be installed in a well-ventilated area and not inside a low-ceiling and closed bathroom. If a user gets trapped inside an ill-ventilated bathroom, the toxic gases released from a gas geyser due to incomplete combustion of LPG can lead to suffocation, believe medical experts.