Kolkata Shocker: Octogenarian Ophthalmologist kills wife, then commits suicide

Kolkata: In a terrifying incident, an 84-year-old, retired army doctor and an eye surgeon from GC Block allegedly brutally killed his wife multiple times with a knife while he attempted to commit suicide as he was found lying unconscious at their Salt Lake residence in Kolkata on Wednesday morning. 

The 70-year-old woman was found dead in her washroom with blood coming out profusely from her body and multiple sharp cuts and stab wounds. The accused doctor who is alleged to have committed the crime was also found with bleeding injuries from sharp cuts and burn injuries on his face and mouth. 

The police suspect that the doctor might have been suffering from a severe mental ailment for 1 year and 8 months as he was receiving treatment during that period. Moreover, they found two suicide notes inside their house - one written in English and the other in Bengali.

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In the note, it was mentioned that the doctor wanted to kill his wife and commit suicide. Although the doctor tried to end his life, he survived and is currently being admitted to a private hospital. 

However, the reason why he wanted to kill and commit suicide is unclear and communicated with the couple’s younger daughter and son-in-law to ascertain the motive.

According to the police, the doctor used to be tense about the future — an ‘anticipatory fear’ or even a form of schizophrenia that led to his family seeking medical help. 

The incident came to light when their help entered the house through a back door that is usually left open for the maid or the conservancy staff. After entering the house, she went upstairs and found the main door open.

The maid then saw the doctor sitting next to the dining table with bleeding injuries and informed the couple’s neighbour, Rajesh Chirimar, the councillor of Ward 39 of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. 

After receiving the information, Rahesh went to the house. "He had burn injuries and sharp cuts on him. An acid bottle was lying nearby. He was still breathing. Kakima (the elderly woman) was nowhere to be seen. I searched all the rooms and then the washroom, where I found her. She was bleeding profusely. I called the ambulance," he told Metro as reported by The Telegraph.

Following this, the police were informed and a preliminary investigation was conducted. An officer told The Daily, “The cause of death can be ascertained only after the post-mortem report comes. Several sharp objects like knives, a dan (a tool used to slice fish and vegetables in households) and a pair of scissors with blood stains were found strewn in the house. A few medicine pills and a bottle of acid were found, too. There are multiple possibilities (regarding the cause of death). We are waiting for the post-mortem report."

The findings of a preliminary investigation suggest the injuries on the man were “self-inflicted” in nature. The officer said "It appeared the woman had resisted the attack on her. There are blood stains all over the house and the place appears disturbed. She must have resisted the attack and tried to save herself."

“Family members said he often claimed he might face legal action or get arrested as the car he had sold could be used to commit a crime. He feared he might fail to pay IT returns on time. This sense of insecurity was unnerving for those around him. Whether this was enough to convince him to kill his wife, though, is still under investigation,” a TOI source said.

A case has been registered and an investigation is underway to unveil the mystery surrounding the woman's death and the doctor's attempted suicide or if any foul play was involved.  

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