According to police sources, on Saturday, March 25, Chetan Gala, a 54-year-old resident of Grant Road was arrested after killing three people in his residential complex. Gala had initially planned to kill his estranged wife and daughter before going on a rampage in search of them.
Is Ghatna Mein 5 Logo Ke Gambhir Roop Se Ghayal Hone Ki Khabar Hai.
— Nukkad Live (@Nukkadlive1) March 24, 2023
🚑 Ghayal Logo Ko H.N Reliance Hospital Aur Nair Hospital Mein Admit Kiya Gaya
👮🏼♂️ Police Ne Aaropi Chetan Gala (54) Ko Giraftar Kar Case Darj Kar Liya
Dr.DB Marg Police Mamle Ki Janch Kar Rahi Hai Arrested 1 pic.twitter.com/MKXfndwNAl
A day after the horrific killings, which also included an 18-year-old girl, the DB Marg police stated that Gala’s deadly rampage was brought about following a dispute with his estranged wife Aruna. She had brought one of her three kids to his home at Parvati Mansion in Grant Road to bring him tiffin, as she did every day.
“Chetan and Aruna got into an argument over their separation, and he grabbed a dagger, after which he charged at their daughter. Aruna managed to save her, pushed him away, and the mother and daughter fled. He stormed out of his second-floor flat and entered the Mistry residence next door looking for them,” informed an officer.
A video (viewer discretion is advised) of the terrifying incident was also posted on social media.
Mumbai Ke #GrantRoad Area Ki Ek Building Mein Hui Khooni Vardaat
— Nukkad Live (@Nukkadlive1) March 24, 2023
Mili Jankari Ke Anusar Aaj Dopahar Kareeb 3:30 Baje Grant Road Signal Ke Paas Maujood Parvati Mansion Building Mein Rehne Wale Chetan Gala(54) Namak Vyakti Ne Apne Padosiyo Per Chaku Se Hamla Kar Diya.1#Nukkadlive pic.twitter.com/I9Fmz01Akx
Ilaben Mistry, 70, her husband Jayendrabhai, 77, and Jenil Brahmbhatt, 18, who ran up from the first floor upon hearing the commotion, were all fatally stabbed by Chetan Gala. A 55-year-old housekeeper, Prakash Waghmare, who was sleeping nearby, attempted to intervene but he also suffered a stabbing. He sustained a minor injury to his stomach but was able to save himself by holding up a pillow.
After hearing her daughter’s cries, Jenil’s mother Snehal, 44, raced to help her, but Gala stabbed her so brutally that her intestines split open. “Chetan uncle stabbed my sister in the neck and my mother in the stomach,” said Devanshi, Jenil’s younger sibling. The deranged man also attempted to kill an eight-year-old boy but was forced to release him when the crowd outside the building started throwing stones at him.
The injured were transported to B Y L Nair and Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital. The Mistrys and Jeniel were declared dead on arrival. Snehal is being treated at Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital and is critical. Waghmare is being treated at B Y L Nair Hospital.
Jignesh Shah, a neighbour, said, “Chetan came out of the house and attacked his immediate neighbours, Jayendrabhai Mistry and his wife who were sitting on the veranda. He held Ila responsible for his wife leaving him. He stabbed the two with a large knife repeatedly following which they started bleeding profusely.”
Shah’s young son Aarav came to the second floor where Chetan lives after hearing the noises. Chetan grabbed him too but released him immediately as others began to scream.
Before Chetan Gala attacked him, Jayendrabhai was able to make a police call, and teams were sent to the scene right away. Others in the neighbourhood brought Aruna and her daughter into a store on the first floor and locked the doors.
“Following the murders, he 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 dagger,” the official added.
Abhinav Deshmukh, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone II said, “We received a call around 3.30 pm about a man stabbing his neighbours. By the time we reached the spot he had locked himself in his house and refused to emerge.” After police threatened to break down the apartment’s front door, he came out and was taken to the police station.
The perpetrator was produced in a holiday court on Saturday in an in-camera hearing. Asked if he needed mental health treatment, Gala responded that he was furious with his wife for leaving him and had been pleading with her to return for the last 50 days. Thereafter, until March 29, Additional Metropolitan Magistrate SS Ghare confined him to police custody.
