NEW DELHI: A Delhi-based contractor was arrested after allegedly using thallium poison to kill his in-laws in West Delhi’s Inderpuri area.
The builder, identified as Varun Arora, was arrested by police on Wednesday. He stayed in the Greater Kailash area of Delhi.
According to Deputy Police Commissioner (DCP) West Urvija Goel, thallium poison has been used in the past to eliminate political rivals due to its slow action.
“Varun did the google search for slow poison and then got an idea about thallium,” said Goel.
She said the incident took place on January 31st.
“Varun had made fish for dinner and mixed thallium, a slow poison. He himself did not eat fish, citing jaw pain because he laughed enough after watching a comedy show. The children in the family had milk, therefore. They also did not eat the fish he prepared, “emphasized Goel.
However, his wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and housekeeper ate the fish.
“On February 3rd, Varun’s sister-in-law, Priyanka Sharma, fell ill and later died. Varun’s wife, Divya, also fell ill after his sister-in-law and mother-in-law also fell ill in March.
His wife is in a coma while their mother-in-law Anita Sharma died on March 22nd. During the MLC at Sri Gangaram Hospital, it was found that thallium was present in the body. While Varun’s father-in-law has not yet been admitted, he complained of sudden hair loss, “said Goel.
During the investigation, the role of Varun emerged and therefore he was arrested yesterday, the police said.
During interrogation, Varun told police that he and Divya were married 12 years ago. According to Varun, his parents-in-law allegedly mocked him for not having a baby. Four years ago, after Varun and his wife failed to conceive naturally, they went to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and had twins. Last year, Varun’s wife became pregnant naturally, but she was aborted after doctors said her pregnancy could be life-threatening.
According to Varun’s father-in-law Devendra Sharma, Varun was angry about the abortion. When the police reached the hospital to arrest Varun, he claimed that he had eaten thallium himself. After the investigation, Varun was arrested.
Varun’s wife Divya has been in a coma for 22 days. It was Divya that was tested first and later everyone was tested for thallium as well.
“On January 31, my son-in-law cooked fish for us, which my wife, two daughters and I ate. On February 15, my younger daughter died. My older daughter is in a coma 22 days after Thallium found her body, it became too found in my body, “said DM Sharma, father-in-law of the accused Varun Arora.
The police are now trying to identify the location where the defendant Varun obtained thallium.
