TEAM HERALD
VASCO: While the police are unwilling to officially disclose the motive behind Pratima Naik’s decision to murder her sister-in-law Dr Neha and mother-in-law, Usha, those closely known to the Naik family recalled that trouble had been brewing within the family even before Pratima had married Pravin.
Neighbours had admitted that Pratima had found it difficult to gain the affection of her in-laws.
“Though Pratima and Praveen were friendly for eight long years, Pravin’s parents were against their marriage. Pratima and Pravin, however, went ahead with their marriage, which was an unusually quiet and personal event, with only the presence of family members from both sides and some close friends,” said a neighbour who resides in the Shree Kamat Housing Cooperative Society, where Usha and Neha was murdered in their flat.
Supporting the theory that frustration may have been the motive behind the double murder, the neighbour added, “Pratima was made to do all the household work and she became frustrated as she was not given much freedom to go out alone. Whenever she used to go out, Pratima was always accompanied by Usha and Neha.”
“All this could have frustrated Pratima sufficiently enough to have committed the cold-blooded murder,” the neighbour added.
