She surrendered after beating mother-in-law to death.
A 37-year-old woman, Aarti Vichare, was arrested by the Charkop police on Sunday morning for murdering her 67-year-old mother-in-law. She was later produced in the holiday court, which remanded her to police custody. The elderly woman, Archana Vichare, was found dead in her house on Saturday evening, while Aarti was absconding.
According to police sources, a preliminary inquiry has revealed that Aarti had suspected that Archana was giving her husband’s pension only to her daughters. Aarti was also asking for money of a Goregaon flat that the family had sold even though her husband had received his share from Archana. According to sources, Aarti told the police that she had to depend on Archana, as her husband used to give his entire salary to her.
Aarti also claimed that Archana was defaming her. Aarti believed that someone was following her and whistling at her. While she often told Archana about it, she said it was a delusion. Archana had told her son Ajit to take Aarti to a doctor, but she refused to go. Aarti even told the police that Archana would often tear her clothes and even broke her spectacles.
According to police sources, Ajit left for work at about 7 am on Saturday while Aarti and her 13-year-old son were sleeping. Later, after she woke up, Aarti fought with Archana, whom she claimed had been defaming her. The latter, however, chose to avoid her and went for a bath. Aarti then attacked her with dumb bells when she was putting on a saree. The senior citizen collapsed while Aarti hit her on her head, face and stomach four to five times.
Commenting on her actions, Aarti said that she had lost control. After murdering Archana, she cleaned the room and covered her in a blanket. Later, she woke her son and told him to accompany her to her father’s house in Karjat.
She reached Karjat around 3 pm and asked her mother if she could take care of the boy, which shocked her mother. Aarti then told her that she had done a wrong thing. Scared, Aarti’s mother called Ajit to rush home. When Ajit entered the house, he saw his mother lying in the pool of blood. Later on Sunday morning, Aarti along and her brother approached the Charkop police station and surrendered.
When The Asian Age visited the building where the Vichares were staying, residents said that the women were sociable though they fought with each other and had even gone to the police over this once.
