Maharashtra: Man slaughters mother-in-law, pre-teen kids watch in terror

The accused in police custody. Pics/Hanif Patel

A 49-year-old man tied the hands and legs of his elderly mother-in-law before slitting her throat and stabbing her repeatedly in Virar East, while his two pre-teen children silently witnessed the gruesome incident on Wednesday. After committing the heinous act, the perpetrator, Prashant Khaire, attempted to flee the scene, but his children blocked his path and started screaming for help.

Alarmed by the unusual commotion, neighbours rushed to the scene and were shocked by the gruesome sight. "The entire crime scene was chaotic, with blood covering the floor. The children were visibly distressed," said a neighbour requesting anonymity. "The body of the elderly woman, Laxmibai, lay in a pool of blood, and the killer was holding a kitchen knife. It was a horrific situation," they added.

Mortal remains of Laxmibai being taken to hospital

One neighbour immediately called the Virar police, who arrived at the scene and apprehended Khaire, whose hands and clothes were stained with blood, according to a police officer. Vijay Pawar, the senior inspector of Virar police station, informed mid-day that Prashant Khaire was arrested at the crime scene.

Sources familiar with the family revealed that the financially troubled Khaire had been struggling to manage his household after his wife and children left due to his abusive behaviour. "His wife had left him because of his violent nature," a source at the police station disclosed.

"Prashant Khaire, who is an alcoholic and unemployed, frequently quarrelled with his wife, Kalpana, whom he married nearly a decade ago," the source continued. "Despite Kalpana moving in with her mother, Laxmibai, in Sainath Nagar, Virar East, Prashant persistently urged her to return home. However, she refused due to his abusive conduct."

While Kalpana was at work in Mumbai, her mother was brutally killed. "Prashant engaged in a verbal altercation with his mother-in-law," the source added. "During the argument, Prashant dragged Laxmibai by her hair. In response, she verbally abused him," the source revealed.

Prashant Khaire, the killer (right) Laxmibai, the deceased

Senior Inspector Pawar said, "Prashant then grabbed a kitchen knife, tied her up, and slit her throat. He also repeatedly stabbed her in the stomach and neck. The entire gruesome incident unfolded in front of his two sons, aged 10 and eight, who witnessed the crime." Police have seized the blood-stained murder weapon, a kitchen knife, and collected forensic evidence at the crime scene. The victim's body was transported to a nearby hospital for post-mortem examination.

Prashant has been charged under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and was presented before the Vasai court, which remanded him to police custody for further investigation. This is the second horrific incident in the Vasai-Virar area following the daylight murder of a woman by her estranged boyfriend, Rohit Yadav, using an industrial wrench in Vasai on Tuesday.