Son held for murdering old mother, mentally ill brother

On Tuesday night, 79-year-old bedridden Radhabai Shivaramakrishnan and her mentally unstable son Jairam were found in a pool of blood at their first floor residence in Navjyoti building in suburban Ghatkopar.

Police said the probe did not suggest that robbery was motive behind the murders as no object was touched in the house. This led to investigations if the killings were the outcome of personal enmity, they said.

Following this, Radhabai's elder son Gopalnath (47) was arrested for the double murder in the wee hours today after he confessed to the crime. An iron rod used in the crime is yet to be recovered, C V Zendekar, Senior Inspector at Ghatkopar Police Station told PTI.

Suspicion grew on Gopalnath after he repeatedly changed his version and his mother and brother rarely used to interact with neighbours. Gopalnath used to do all the household work, from washing clothes to cooking food, in addition to working as a personal assistant to the Mumbai University Vice Chancellor.

"He was not married and very frustrated as he has been serving his mother and brother since years. He wanted to settle down in life because of which he planned to get rid of his mother and brother," he added.

Post mortem reports have also indicated that the duo were murdered between 5.30 and 11 am on Tuesday and Gopalnath had left home at 9 am for his office. "Gopalnath had woke up at around 5 am after which he killed his mother by strangulating her using a dupatta and later attacked his brother with a iron rod on his head, leaving him dead," the officer said.