In a shocking incident, 31-year-old man allegedly stabbed his mother to death and seriously wounded his father in Maharashtra's Thane city on Thursday, police said. The mother, Vinita Bhatkar (66) succumbed to her injuries while the father, Vilas Bhatkar (72) is in critical condition at Vedant hospital in Thane informed police officials.
Rajesh Babshetty, Senior Police Inspector of Kasarwadwali police station, stated, "The 35-year-old man identified as Sankalp Bhatkar stabbed his father and mother on Thursday morning. According to the neighbors, the accused is a bodybuilder who used to take steroids, rendering him mentally unfit due to heavy drug consumption. Three months ago, he got married, but his relationships with his father, mother, and wife were strained. The frustration caused by the consumption of steroids led to conflicts with his parents, who constantly urged him to stop using drugs.
One neighbor from Vihang Valley, speaking anonymously, said, "I have known Sankalp Bhatkar since 2019. He used to be a fitness enthusiast and participated in various bodybuilding competitions. He even won the Mumbai Shree award for bodybuilding in 2019. However, over the past year, he started taking steroids and drugs. On Thursday, he viciously stabbed his father and mother with an onion cutter. After the attack, he walked out holding the onion cutter and headed towards Coral Heights building on Ghodbunder Road in Thane, where his sister used to live."
An investigating police officer revealed, "After stabbing his father and mother, the accused, Sankalp Bhatkar, attempted to locate and kill his sister, who resided in Coral Heights, Thane. However, he was unable to find her. Subsequently, he rode his bike with license plate number MH-04-HL-1489 to his mother-in-law and father-in-law's residence in Kurla Nehru Nagar. He knocked on their door, but upon learning that the Kasarwadwali police had issued an alert on social media regarding Sankalp Bhatkar, they did not open the door. Meanwhile, the Kasarwadwali police informed the Nehru Nagar police about the situation. Sankalp Bhatkar was arrested by the Nehru Nagar police at his father-in-law and mother-in-law's house and handed over to the custody of the Kasarwadwali police station.