Gujarat man kills 5-year-old daughter, dies by suicide over financial crisis
A 40-year-old man allegedly killed his five-year-old daughter, placed her body inside a refrigerator, and died by suicide citing a financial crisis in Gujarat's Amreli district, police said on Friday.
The chilling crime unfolded inside a room decorated with balloons and candles, where the deceased, Kishore Dhanak, left behind notes admitting to the crime and explaining that he put his daughter's body in the refrigerator to spare her suffering after his death, an official said.
Dhanak, a construction site supervisor, was home with his daughter Himanshi on Wednesday when he allegedly smothered her by covering her mouth with his hand. He then placed her body in the refrigerator and hanged himself, Rajula Deputy Superintendent of Police Nayana Goradiya said.
According to the first information report (FIR), Dhanak had written three suicide notes and placed them on a bed.
In one of the notes, he stated that he had taken a personal loan and invested the money in construction work, Dhanak's wife Manjuben said in the FIR.
"He had to receive Rs 7.25 lakh, but they (business friends) had not given him anything. Now he had no money and could not find any solution, and hence, he was committing suicide with his daughter," the FIR stated.
In the second note, he wrote that he had killed the child because he did not want her to suffer after his death, while in another note, he apologised and revealed that he had placed the child's body in the refrigerator.
The deaths came to light after Manjuben, who had gone to her father's house on September 14, tried contacting Dhanak, but her phone calls went unanswered.
She then sent her brother to check on Dhanak on Wednesday evening, but when no one opened the door, she broke into the house and found Dhanak hanging from a ceiling fan.
"There was something unusual about the room," inspector P L Chaudhary told PTI.
He said that the room had been decorated with balloons and candles, and Dhanak had dressed his daughter in white clothes, placed a dupatta on her head and kept cushions in the refrigerator.
Dhanak had also placed 'tulsi' leaves on the child's lips, he said.
"It seemed like he wanted to celebrate her birthday one last time. They had also performed a puja with idols in the room, which was decorated with balloons and candles. He also kept chocolates in the room and refrigerator," Chaudhary said.
Although it was not the child's birthday, a paper with the words "Happy Birthday Himanshi" written on it was placed on the refrigerator, he said.
Police have registered a case under section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further probe is underway.
