Mumbai: The Indian Navy sailor, suspected of poisoning his family before taking his own life, apparently sent a poignant Whatsapp message to his mother before his death.
Puranmal Shambhulal Mehra (30), was found hanging inside his residential quarters in Navy Nagar, South Mumbai, on Saturday. His 28-year-old wife Oma, their three-year-old son Yash and their two-month-old infant were found dead on a bed.
Preliminary investigation suggested that Mehra first poisoned his family and then died by suicide. The exact cause of their deaths is yet to be established, and investigators are awaiting medical and forensic reports.
Before the suspected murder-suicide, the sailor sent a WhatsApp message to his mother around 11 PM on August 14, NDTV reported citing sources.
“Come and take our dead bodies,” the message reportedly read.
She read the message the following morning and tried to contact him. When he did not answer repeated calls, his father, Shambhulal Mehra, alerted the Navy Control Room.
Navy personnel and police subsequently reached the family’s residence, where the four bodies were found, as reported by News18.
Mehra had allegedly formatted both his and his wife’s mobile phones before the incident, investigators have said.
Cyber experts are now helping the police to recover deleted data and reconstruct the events leading up to the deaths.
According to the NDTV report, Mehra had been facing severe family and financial stress and was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Mumbai.
There are also reports that Mehra and Oma, who had been married for around four years, frequently argued. The police are looking into this.
Mehra’s father had visited Mumbai a few days before the incident and wanted to take his son and his family back home. Mehra reportedly refused, following which the two had a heated argument over the phone.
Investigators are awaiting reports to identify the substance that Mehra allegedly administered to his wife and children. The four bodies were taken to JJ Hospital for medico-legal examination. Post-mortem and forensic reports are expected to help establish the exact causes of death.
The sailor’s colleagues, acquaintances and neighbours are also being questioned to establish a timeline and understand the circumstances preceding the incident.
The Indian Navy described the incident as “unfortunate” and said it was extending all possible assistance to the investigation.
“In an unfortunate incident at Navy Nagar, Colaba, an Indian Navy sailor along with his wife and two children were found dead at their residence on August 15, 2026. Investigation is in progress by the police and the Indian Navy is extending all possible assistance towards the same,” the Navy said in a statement.
