In the days following the alleged murder of his 40-year-old wife and an attempted assault on his teenage son, 45-year-old former Army serviceman Mahendra Shivaji Daundkar was discovered deceased on Wednesday in what authorities suspect to be a suicide in the Khed taluka of Pune.
As per the first information report (FIR) filed at Khed police station, Daundkar, who had retired from military service in 2019, was employed as a security guard for a private firm located in Vishrantwadi, Pune. His wife, Deepa, was reportedly killed at their residence in Sangam Garden, Khed, during the night of August 30. Their 17-year-old son, Atharva, informed the police that he had gone to a friend’s home around 9:30 PM. When he returned at approximately 11:35 PM, prompted by his friend’s mother who relayed a missed call from his mother, he found the situation alarming.
Atharva recounted that upon entering the house, his father, Mahendra, instructed him not to disturb his mother, claiming she was resting after taking medication. Upon entering the bedroom, Atharva discovered his mother unresponsive, her body cold and her face exhibiting a dark bluish hue, accompanied by visible injuries on her neck.
When confronted by his son, Mahendra reportedly locked the bedroom door and attempted to strangle Atharva with a cloth. The teenager managed to escape his father’s grip and raised an alarm. In response, Mahendra allegedly grabbed two kitchen knives, threatening to harm Atharva if he continued to shout. During the struggle, he reportedly inflicted a cut on Atharva’s right thumb.
Neighbors, alerted by the noise, rushed to the scene. According to the FIR, Mahendra pushed his elderly father-in-law aside and fled into nearby fields. Deepa was subsequently transported to a hospital in Khed and later to the government facility in Chakan, where she was pronounced dead. Khed police registered a case against Mahendra under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for murder, attempted murder, and intentional insult.
A search for Mahendra was initiated following the incident. “On Wednesday, Mahendra Daundkar’s lifeless body was discovered hanging from a tree in the Chandoli area of Khed. Preliminary investigations suggest this may be a suicide. An extensive inquiry is ongoing,” stated a Khed police officer.
Sushant Kulkarni serves as a Special Correspondent for The Indian Express in Pune, boasting over 12 years of experience in reporting on crime, defense, internal security, and judicial matters. He has been a part of the Indian Express since July 2010 and has extensively covered law enforcement issues in Pune and its neighboring regions, including cybercrime, narcotics, and terrorism. His defense reporting encompasses operational details of the armed forces, defense research and development, and significant defense establishments. Sushant has also reported on numerous sensitive legal cases in Pune’s courts. In his personal time, he enjoys photography, playing the harmonica, and cooking.
