Husband, lover arrested in wife and toddler’s murder

Mumbai: The Shahu Nagar police arrested a 38-year-old man and his girlfriend for murdering his wife and two-year-old daughter after his alleged extramarital affair came to the attention of his family.

The police said that after the duo was murdered, the paramour of the accused, Afreen Bano, allegedly visited their home and tried to destroy evidence by setting the house on fire.

The accused, Sayyed (38), allegedly murdered his wife Zehera (34) and daughter Aaliya with a sharp weapon on January 31. The incident came to light after smoke emanated from their residence in Mahim and the Fire Brigade was informed.

The investigations had thrown light on the alleged affair and it came to the fore that the couple would have frequent fights over the matter and the juvenile would witness the fights.

Sayyed and Bano then allegedly hatched the plan to eliminate the duo.  The police said that on Thursday morning the residents of the 10th floor of the Diamond Apartment in Mahim realised that a smell and smoke emanating from the house.

On receiving no response to the doorbell and knocks, the neighbours broke open the door and saw Sayyed’s wife and daughter lying in a pool of blood and their bodies were on fire.

The neighbours immediately doused the flames. Later, they found that the valve of the gas stove had been left open.

The duo was rushed to Sion Hospital where they were declared dead on arrival. Sayyed runs a zari (embroidery) workshop in Dongri and visits it every Thursday. He committed the murder and went to the unit to hide the same however the CCTV camera captured his visit.

The police said that a case of murder and destruction of evidence has been registered against the two accused and the investigation is underway.