Woman kills 2 minor sons for 'salvation of ancestors' in Navsari district; arrested

Ahmedabad, Nov 14 (PTI) In a shocking incident, a woman killed her two minor sons allegedly for the "salvation of her ancestors" in Navsari district of Gujarat, police officials said on Friday.

The woman, Sunita Sharma, who has been arrested, also tried to kill her father-in-law, who managed to save his life by running out of the house, they said.

Police said the incident took place in a flat in the Desra area of Bilimora town of Navsari district on Thursday night.

Sharma, originally hailing from Uttar Pradesh, lived in the apartment with her husband Shivkant, two sons aged seven and four, parents-in-law Indrapal and Susri, according to police.

Shivkant was diagnosed with typhoid and admitted to a private hospital, the officials said.

"(Father-in-law) Indrapal and (his wife) Susri went to the hospital to give food to their son (Shivkant) and went to sleep after returning. Sunita was in her bedroom. All of a sudden, in the middle of the night, Sunita, who was disturbed for some days, started praying to a deity and strangled both her sons to death for the salvation of her ancestors," Deputy Superintendent of Police B V Gohil said.

Sharma then went to the room of her parents-in-law and tried to strangle her father-in-law too, but he managed to run out of the house and called for help from neighbours, he said.

In the meanwhile, she locked the front door from inside and did not open it despite repeated knocks from neighbours, said the police officer.

Later, a police team arrived and broke open the door and arrested Sharma, who was sitting beside the bodies of her children, Gohil said. PTI COR PD RSY