Mumbai: Grant Road killer wanted to murder wife, daughter

Chetan Gala the 54yearold Grant Road resident arrested on Friday for murdering three people in his building initially intended to kill his own wife and daughter and went on a rampage while looking for them the police sources revealed on SaturdayA day after the brutal killings which includes an 18yearold girl the DB Marg police said that Galarsquos murderous spree was triggered by an argument with his wife Aruna She had come to his house at Parvati Mansion in Grant Road with one of her three daughters to deliver tiffin to him as was her daily practiceldquoGala and Aruna got into an argument over their separation and Gala grabbed a dagger after which he charged at their daughter Aruna managed to save her pushed Chetan away and the mother and daughter fled Gala stormed out of his second floor flat and entered the Mistry residence next door looking for themrdquo said an officer with the DB Marg police stationAlso Read Mumbai Crime He tried to kill 8yearold boy tooRajesh Mohite and Bharat MehtaOver the next 20 minutes Gala went on to kill Ilaben Mistry 70 her husband Jayendrabhai 77 and Jenil Brahmbhatt 18 who came running up from the first floor on hearing the commotion stabbing them multiple times He also tried to kill an eightyearold boy but the people who had gathered outside the building started throwing stones at him after which Gala let the boy go Jayendrabhai had managed to call the police before Chetan found him and teams were immediately dispatched to the spot Meanwhile other residents took Aruna and her daughter into a shop on the ground floor and locked them insideldquoGala then locked himself in his house changed his clothes and hid the blood soaked ones He even hid the murder weapon and gave us a kitchen knife when we arrived However the video of the murder helped us identify that we had the wrong weapon We searched the house and recovered the daggerrdquo the officer saidGala was produced in a holiday court on Saturday in an incamera hearing Sources said that on being asked if he needed psychiatric help Gala said he was enraged at Aruna for leaving him and that he had been asking her to come back for the last 50 days Additional Metropolitan Magistrate SS Ghare subsequently remanded him to police custody till March 29Jenil Brahmbhatt and Anju PawarldquoGala is now expressing remorse over the murders He specifically says he should not have killed Jenilrdquo said a sourceNeighbours told midday that Jenil a bright student was pursuing a bachelorrsquos degree in science at the KC College in Churchgate Her dream was to become a doctor and one day move abroad with her family She was also a devout follower of Lord Swaminarayan and the Brahmbhatts host prayers at their residence every SundayldquoChetanrsquos own daughter was weak in studies and Jenil used to help her She would frequently go to the Gala residence for this and Gala didnrsquot like it He would tell his daughters to not play with Jenilrdquo a neighbour saidJenilrsquos mother Snehal 44 on hearing her daughterrsquos cries had rushed to her aid and Gala allegedly stabbed her so hard that her intestines spilled out of her stomachAnju Pawar 45 who saved Snehalrsquos life said ldquoI saw a bloodied Snehal tumbling down the stairs and ran to her I stopped the blood flow with a towel got her downstairs and hailed a taxi We forced the passengers out got her inside and sped to the HN Reliance Foundation Hospital Snehal is fine and able to speak nowrdquoMeanwhile Rajesh Mohite 55 Bharat Mehta 80 and two others took it upon themselves to stop Galarsquos murderous rampage ldquoWe grabbed whatever we could mdashsticks cricket stumpsmdashand accosted Gala who tried to attack us but lost his nerve when he saw he was outnumbered after which he locked himself in his houserdquo Mehta told midday