A 32-year-old Indian Navy sailor, along with his wife and two young children, was found dead inside their government quarters in the high-security Navy Nagar enclave in Colaba, South Mumbai. Police suspect a case of murder-suicide, believing the sailor poisoned his family before hanging himself.
The deceased children were identified as a three-year-old and a two-month-old infant, as per NDTV.
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The grim discovery occurred on Saturday night after neighbors and colleagues raised alarms when the sailor failed to report for duty and remained unreachable by phone. Upon receiving no response at the locked residence, naval personnel alongside Cuffe Parade police forced entry into the premises, discovering the four bodies inside.
According to preliminary findings by the Cuffe Parade Police, the sailor died by suicide by hanging. His wife and two minor children are suspected to have died from poisoning. Investigators confirmed that no suicide note was recovered from the scene.
"Prima facie, it appears the sailor committed suicide after poisoning his wife and children," a police official stated, adding that the exact cause and sequence of death will be established following forensic analysis.
The police have secured the premises and registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR). All four bodies have been dispatched to a government facility for post-mortem examinations to confirm toxicology details and time of death. Authorities are conducting an in-depth investigation into all potential motives, including underlying domestic or psychological distress, according to the report.
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In an official statement released regarding the incident, the Indian Navy confirmed the deaths at the Navy Nagar quarters on August 15, expressing grief over the tragic loss. The Navy noted that an official police investigation is actively underway and affirmed that naval authorities are extending full assistance to law enforcement agencies to determine the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
(With PTI input)
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