Three of family found dead in Pune home

In a strange incident, three members of a family were found dead in their home in Pune on Sunday morning. Initial investigations suggest that they probably lit a bonfire in their house to keep themselves warm. However, they kept all windows shut and died due to suffocation.

Though the police has not concluded the actual reason of their death, a police officer from Vishrambaug police station said that the bonfire lit in the house seemed to be the reason behind the incident. According to the IMD, minimum temperature on Saturday had dropped to 7.4 degrees Celsius in Pune, which was the season’s lowest so far.

“Doctors have prima facie opined that carbon monoxide created by the fire lit in the house could be the reason. However, we are waiting for the post mortem results and further investigation will be carried out based on its findings,” the officer said.

According to the police, the deceased are identified as Bhagwan Dhondiba Ghare (55), Mangala Bhagwan Ghare (47) and their daughter Pornima (23), residents of Kabirbaug in Narayan Peth. They lived in a two-storied house in Kabir Baug area. Bhagwan’s son Dheeraj (27) was at their old home in the same locality.

The incident came to the light on Sunday morning, when Dheeraj came back home at around 8.30 am. He knocked the door, but there was no response. He first tried to look inside the house through the windows, but was unable to judge anything. Then he contacted the police, who broke open the house and found three bodies inside.

While Bhagwan’s body was on the bed, Mangala and Pornima’s bodies were found lying near the door. The police took all of them to Sasoon General Hospital, but doctors declared them dead. The police found a coal bonfire on the floor.

Bhagwan was into fabrication business for the past 25 years. Pornima had learnt Japanese language and was working in a company in Kothrud. She was likely to leave for Japan for a job. She had applied for a passport, said a local.