Ahmedabad: Four days after he murdered his wife and 5-year-old son before slitting his wrist in Gandhinagar, Haresh Vaghela was arrested by the Infocity police on Sunday.
The tragic episode, which unfolded amid a spiralling financial crisis, saw the 42-year-old allegedly commit these unspeakable acts after losing Rs 4 lakh in online gaming.
Inspector V R Kher said Vaghela was produced in court on Monday and remanded to one day in police custody.
The incident came to light when a neighbour’s child, aged around 8, went to Vaghela’s house seeking a replacement bulb and walked in after finding the door ajar.
Police investigation indicates that Vaghela first strangled his wife Asha, 40, and struck his son’s head against a safe, which bore bloodstains, before cutting his wrist with a sharp object. A suicide note found at his residence in Sargasan area revealed details of his debt and financial problems.
Inspector Kher said that the Vaghelas, who had moved into Shri Rang Nano City-1 about one and a half years ago, originally hailed from Surendranagar district. Vaghela, formerly employed at a salon, lost his job during the Covid-19 pandemic and soon turned to online games like rummy and ludo to earn money. He earned roughly Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 initially. As his addiction deepened, he began borrowing money to fuel his habit, ultimately driving him to commit the unthinkable.
Kher added that Vaghela had attempted to set himself ablaze and tried to hang himself. He finally managed to cut his wrist, only to be rescued. He was discharged from hospital on Sunday, following which he was arrested.