In an incident which has an uncanny resemblance to the infamous Nanavati murder case of 1959 that had shocked Mumbai, a young merchant navy sailor allegedly murdered his wife and her lover at Kamote in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday.
29-year-old Dhruv Kant Thakur was arrested on Wednesday morning and charged with the murder of his estranged wife Sushmita (24) and her paramour Ajay Kumar Singh (27). All the three hailed from Ranchi in Jharkhand.
The Times of India reported that Thakur and Sushmita had got married two years ago, but the couple separated around seven months ago after their relationship went downhill. Sushmita, who was training to be a paramedic, was in a relationship with Singh, a Dubai-based man, since before her marriage to Thakur.
Around 7 pm on Tuesday, Thakur went to the rented flat where Sushmita lived in to reportedly discuss divorce with her and Singh.
While Sushmita reportedly told Thakur that she wanted a divorce and get married to Singh, her husband pleaded her to not leave him “or his life would be ruined“.
Sushmita did not budge and their arguments carried on for over eight hours.
The TOI report further states, "Thakur lost his temper when Singh reportedly showed him intimate photographs of Sushmita and him on his cell phone, perhaps in a bid to force a decision. An enraged Thakur grabbed a kitchen knife, slit Singh's throat and stabbed him on the face and neck, killing him on the spot, said Adikrao Pol, senior inspector (crime branch unit 2). Sushmita tried to run out, but Thakur caught hold of her as well. As she tried to free herself, she sustained knife injuries to her fingers and bruises when Thakur tried to strangulate her. Thakur finally used a pillow to smother her to death."
Thakur is said to have tried to kill himself too by hanging himself from the ceiling fan after committing the murders, but failed to do so.
He was arrested by the police outside the building, where he was found sitting in blood stained clothes, the report adds.
The Nanavati case of 1959 not just shocked the city’s film and financial capital, but is significant for another reason. The trial was also the last in India in which a jury presided delivered the verdict.
Kawas Nanavati, a naval commandant shot his wife Sylvia’s lover and his friend Prem Ahuja. The case was probably the first time a crime of passion was discussed in India. The Mumbai trial court declared him not guilty.
According to a DNA report, when Sylvia confessed her relationship with Ahuja, Nanavati is said to have gone to Ahuja’s house and asked him if he would marry Slyvia and accept her children. To this, Ahuja is said to have replied, "Will I marry every woman I sleep with?" Angered by this reply, Nanavati is said to have shot him.
After the trial court pronounced him not guilty, it was Ram Jethmalani who represented Ahuja’s sister and got Nanavati convicted. In 1960 however, the Maharashtra Governor granted him pardon, and Nanavati and Slyvia moved to Canada.