Man ‘Bars’ Wife, Son from Entering His Bedroom. Months Later, He’s Thrown off 7th Floor, Wrist Slit, Head Banged

A financial executive was allegedly killed by his wife and son, and his body was thrown from their 7th-floor balcony at SIDBI Quarters, Andheri West on Friday. Police officials investigating the matter said that the mother-son duo tried to pass it off as suicide.

The duo told police that 54-year-old Santankrishnan Seshadri, an assistant general manager, had tried to end his life in the past as well. As per a report by The Times of India, the Amboli police has arrested, 52-year-old wife, identified as Jaisheela, and the 26-year-old son named Arvind, an engineering graduate. However, the son has admitted to the killing after being grilled for five hours

Reportedly, the mother-son duo woke up at 4 am, banged Seshadri’s head on the cot, and slit his left wrist. An hour later, they flung the body from the balcony.

“They were fed up with him for not taking care of them and took a decision on Thursday night to murder Seshadri after a fight with him,” a police officer told TOI. “They got their opportunity just the next day after noticing that neighbours were not at home,” officer added.

During the investigation, the police recovered blood-stained clothes, stuffed with soiled garments, from the family’s washing machine, which showed that the two tried to destroy evidence.

The police officials noticed discrepancies in the mother-son duo’s statements, following which the suicide story fell through. “Mother and son were found crying profusely when we reached the flat. We found bloodstains in the bedroom, but they feigned ignorance. They told us they got to know of the incident from the building’s security guard, following which a call was placed to the police control room,” the officer told TOI. However, to seal the story, they told the police officials to check with their counterparts in Secunderabad, where an attempted suicide case was registered against Seshadri in 2011.

The officer said that when police checked with Seshadri’s colleagues at their BKC office, they said they did not find anything wrong with his behaviour on Thursday or that he was depressed. Reportedly, the family had been upset over him for not contributing towards family expenses. While his son was disturbed over being jobless despite being a BTech engineer.

The officer said the victim’s wife claimed to have a troubled married life. “The victim did not allow his wife and son to enter the bedroom. He made them sleep in the hall. The two claimed that the bedroom was meant as a private space for Seshadri,” said the police.

However, a case has been registered late on Friday against the mother and son for murder, and for destruction of evidence. DCP (Zone IX) Manjunath Singe said both have been arrested, and Amboli police are investigating further.