Jaipur, April 01, 2025.
A 36-year-old man bludgeoned his wife and elderly aunt to death with a hammer before hanging himself at their home near Benar railway station under Kardhani police station area Monday afternoon. The couple’s nine-year-old son, Yansh, and his cousin survived the attack and alerted neighbours, who then informed police.
DCP (west) Amit Kumar said the man, Pankaj Kumawat, returned home in the afternoon and launched a brutal assault on his wife, Sunita (33), who was reported by relatives to be two months pregnant. “Hearing her screams, his widowed aunt Madhu (55) rushed to the room. Pankaj then attacked her too with the hammer,” said Kumar. He also said that Madhu was widowed for the past 25 years and spent her time with Pankaj and his two brothers.
The primary probe indicates Madhu tried to shield the kids, and therefore he turned the hammer on her, killing her on the spot. Yansh and his cousin managed to flee and raised an alarm, prompting neighbours to intervene. Meanwhile, Pankaj locked himself in a room and died by suicide.
Neighbours described a grisly scene with blood-soaked bodies of Sunita and Madhu lying on the floor. Pankaj’s body was found hanging in another room. Police and forensic teams were dispatched to collect evidence, though no suicide note was recovered.
“Preliminary investigations suggest financial distress and domestic strife appear to be the motive of the crime. We are verifying all angles,” said Kumar. Neighbours revealed Sunita recently shared news of her pregnancy with local women, adding that Pankaj was troubled for some time.
Police, however, said, the deceased’s pregnancy would only be confirmed after the post-mortem report (PMR) is available. Police late at night spoke with Sunita’s brother and relatives of Pankaj, who told officials that the latter was suspected to be facing mounting debt, which caused him severe stress.
