A domestic tragedy unfolded in Navi Mumbai’s Kharghar area on Monday morning when a Pakistani national allegedly murdered his wife and later died by suicide, leaving behind their two young children. The police suspect financial hardship and ongoing domestic tensions to be the underlying cause of the incident.

The couple, identified as Notan Das alias Sanjay Sachdev (45) and Sapna Notandas (35), had migrated from Pakistan to India in November 2024. They were staying in a rented flat in Sector 34, Kharghar, under long-term visas (LTVs), along with their sons aged 10 and 6. According to initial investigations, the family had been struggling financially and was planning to return to Pakistan.

The incident was discovered when the couple’s younger son came home from school around 10:30 am and found the door locked from the inside. When repeated attempts to contact his parents failed, he alerted neighbors. Sapna’s sister, an Indian citizen who had been supporting the couple financially, was called, and she in turn contacted the police. The police forcibly entered the flat and found the couple lying in a pool of blood.

“The sister of the woman visited the flat on Monday as Sapna Notandas was not responding to her calls, leading to the discovery of the crime,” confirmed Deputy Commissioner of Police Prashant Mohite.

Husband was Rushed to the Hospital

While Sapna was declared dead at the scene, Notan Das was found alive but critically injured. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his wounds.

The police said that a sharp kitchen knife was used in the attack. The postmortem report indicates that Sapna sustained multiple stab wounds to her neck, back, and shoulder. After killing his wife, Sachdev allegedly used the same weapon to stab himself in the neck.

“The husband later inflicted serious injuries on his neck with the same knife and succumbed to his wounds,” said Senior Inspector Deepak Surve.

Based on a statement from Sapna’s sister and the circumstances of the case, a murder case has been registered under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) against the deceased husband. Police have also launched a formal investigation to verify the couple’s immigration documents and visa details.

The incident has also raised questions in the backdrop of recent policy changes. Following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, India suspended short-term visas issued to Pakistani citizens. However, Long-Term Visas (LTVs) which the couple held remain valid, especially for members of minority communities such as Pakistani Hindus.

“Our records show they arrived in India in November 2024 on a long-term visit visa,” DCP Mohite confirmed. “We are currently conducting a thorough verification of their visas and other identity documents as part of the ongoing investigation.”

Authorities are now focused on the two children left orphaned by the tragedy. “We are trying to find out who will take care of them,” Mohite said, emphasising that the children’s future is a top priority in the aftermath of the incident