A young businessman from Orissa who was spurned by a model he was in love with killed her mother and uncle before shooting himself early on Friday at Andheri in Mumbai.
Avinash Patnaik ran a rice mill at Angul in Orissa. He was in love with upcoming model Moushumi Moon Das. Moushumi, a native of Kolkata, came to Mumbai to pursue a modelling career three years ago. A beauty contest participant, she has appeared in TV commercials for Kelvinator and Reliance. They first met when Moon had gone to Orissa to perform at a New Year party this year and later started seeing each other. According to the police, he would often travel to Mumbai to visit Moushumi. But the relationship soon ran into problems. The affair lasted till August, after which Moon broke off relations with Avinash but he refused to back off.
"Moushumi has told us that Avinash was hot-tempered and possessive, and got physically violent with her on a couple of occasions. She then broke off with him and stopped taking his calls," said senior inspector Kiran Sonone.
On Wednesday morning, Avinash loaded his pistol and left home to drive down to Mumbai. He reached Oshiwara at around 10.30 pm on Thursday. After entering his name in the building register, he strode upstairs and shot Kannan and Vikaschandra. "The two did not even get a chance to struggle. Avinash motioned to them to move towards the bedroom, where he shot them in the chest," said ACP Kaiser Ahmed.
On Wednesday morning, Avinash loaded his pistol and left home to drive down to Mumbai. He reached Oshiwara at around 10.30 pm on Thursday. After entering his name in the building register, he strode upstairs and shot Kannan and Vikaschandra. "The two did not even get a chance to struggle. Avinash motioned to them to move towards the bedroom, where he shot them in the chest," said ACP Kaiser Ahmed.
All this while, Moushumi had been trying to call her mother from her cellphone. Getting no response, she got worried and rushed home with her friend, Romesh Sharma. Around 11.30 pm, she rang the doorbell. "When Avinash opened it a crack and she saw his pistol, Moushumi realised that something was terribly wrong and quickly shut the door, latching it from outside," Sonone added.
Moushumi and Sharma then hurried to the Oshiwara police station and brought the police back to the apartment. Avinash had latched it from inside, and the door had to be broken down. The police speculate that the youngster must have seen them from the window of the apartment and killed himself in panic. Three cartridges were recovered from the spot. Officials said the pistol was unlicensed and had been loaded with just three bullets.
(Avinash Patnaik’s father Bhupen collapses after seeing his son’s body at the J J Hospital morgue)
Avinash's elder brother, Pritam, who lives in Goregaon, was informed about the incident by the police. Moushumi, who is in shock after the incident, also telephoned her father and brother at Kolkata, who boarded a flight for Mumbai on Friday.
(Moon Das with friends at the J J morgue)
A post-mortem examination was carried out on the bodies. Forensic experts said that no bullets were found in the three bodies since the shots passed through them. The doctors have preserved skin samples, which will be sent to ballistic experts to ascertain the distance and direction from which Avinash fired.
(Moushumi Das’s father, Manimohan (extreme left), with other relatives and son Abhijit (right) spent the day at JJ Hospital)
"We still have to visit the spot. We hope that the circumstantial evidence will make things more clear," said Dr V N Tasgaonkar who conducted the post-mortem.
Pritam and his friends, who were waiting outside the post-mortem centre, refused to comment. No one from Moushumi's family came to claim the two bodies. The Oshiwara police have registered a case of murder against Avinash.
Moushumi and Sharma then hurried to the Oshiwara police station and brought the police back to the apartment. Avinash had latched it from inside, and the door had to be broken down. The police speculate that the youngster must have seen them from the window of the apartment and killed himself in panic. Three cartridges were recovered from the spot. Officials said the pistol was unlicensed and had been loaded with just three bullets.
(Avinash Patnaik’s father Bhupen collapses after seeing his son’s body at the J J Hospital morgue)
Avinash's elder brother, Pritam, who lives in Goregaon, was informed about the incident by the police. Moushumi, who is in shock after the incident, also telephoned her father and brother at Kolkata, who boarded a flight for Mumbai on Friday.
(Moon Das with friends at the J J morgue)
A post-mortem examination was carried out on the bodies. Forensic experts said that no bullets were found in the three bodies since the shots passed through them. The doctors have preserved skin samples, which will be sent to ballistic experts to ascertain the distance and direction from which Avinash fired.
(Moushumi Das’s father, Manimohan (extreme left), with other relatives and son Abhijit (right) spent the day at JJ Hospital)
"We still have to visit the spot. We hope that the circumstantial evidence will make things more clear," said Dr V N Tasgaonkar who conducted the post-mortem.
Pritam and his friends, who were waiting outside the post-mortem centre, refused to comment. No one from Moushumi's family came to claim the two bodies. The Oshiwara police have registered a case of murder against Avinash.
