Gurgaon doctoral degree holder commits suicide after killing wife, children

A senior staffer with a Hyderabad-based Pharma company allegedly killed his wife and two children by stabbing them and slitting their throats before ending his life in their Uppal Southend home here, police said on Monday. Prakash Singh, 55, a PhD holder, was found hanging from a ceiling fan on Sunday night with a suicide note stating that "he was not able to handle his family and is responsible for the deaths of his wife, son and daughter", a police official said.

His wife Sonu Singh (50), who ran a school in Gurgaon, daughter Aditi (22) and son Aditya (13) were found dead with injuries inflicted with a sharp weapon, they said. "The police control room received a call at 9 am. Our team reached Uppal Southend and found the main entrance door of Prakash's house locked from inside," Assistant Commissioner of Police (Sadar) Aman Yadav told PTI.

"The door was forced open. Prakash's body was found hanging from the ceiling fan in the drawing room, while the bodies of Aditya and Sonu were lying on the floor. Aditi's body was found on a bed. There were scuffle marks on the inner walls," he said. The officer said a hammer and four big knives used in the crime were recovered from the spot.

Another police officer said Prakash planned the crime after taking cues from a crime show. "He planned the entire crime after being inspired by a crime show on TV. He locked the main entrance door from inside so that none of his family members could escape," he said.

Giving details of the grisly crime, the officer said, "Prakash first attacked his family with the hammer and later stabbed them. It seems his family pleaded with him to spare their lives and a scuffle ensued as there were footprints and blood stains on the walls." After the crime, Prakash spent an hour with the family's pet dogs. He fed them food before writing the suicide note and later hanged himself to death, police said.

The relatives of the victims claimed the family did not face any financial trouble. The family had been living peacefully. There were no signs of confrontation or domestic violence reported earlier, they said.

Prakash, a native of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, was staying in Gurgaon from the last eight years. "We are waiting for the autopsy report to know whether Prakash consumed drugs while committing the crime," the ACP said, adding the suicide note was also being analysed.