TEAM HERALD
VASCO: The case may have been solved but people in Vasco are still left in disbelief that a quiet and unassuming woman could have committed the cold-blooded murder of her sister-in-law and mother-in-law.
While the double murder had stunned the entire State, the fact that an ex-student of Mata Higher Secondary School at Baina-Vasco was involved in the murder of her family members has further shocked the principal, staff and batch mates of the prime accused, Pratima Naik.
“The school staff and I were shocked when we heard and read in the newspapers that Pratima had allegedly murdered her mother-in-law and sister-in law,” said Mata Higher Secondary School Baina headmaster Subash Shirodkar.
“Pratima was in our school in Std 5 and during her schooling, we did not receive any complaint against her, either from the teachers or her friends,” recalled Shirodkar.
“Pratima was a quiet student and used to be in her own world. She would never get involved in any school activities or mix much with other students. She was also not a very bright student and had failed in her SSC exam,” added Shirodkar.
Expressing similar views, Pratima’s schoolmates added that she was not the type to socialise and would remain to herself.
Meanwhile, neighbours at Mangor Hill admitted that though the Naik family would rarely mix with other residents of the building, they was shocked to learn about Pratima’s confession to the double murder.
“Pratima was a quiet woman and the only time we would see her was when she along with Usha and Neha would go to market or other places,” said Abhay Patil, a neighbour.
“Though there was a suspicion of Pratima’s involvement in the double murder, we were shocked that Pratima had actually killed her mother-in-law and sister-in-law all by herself.”
Commenting on the manner in which a quiet and reserved person had committed the double murder, a practising psychiatrist, counsellor and psychotherapist in Vasco has suspected that a host of multiple problems may have led Pratima to the crime.
“Pratima’s background, frustration may have led her to commit the homicide of her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. It is not only one problem, but multiple problems that led Pratima to take such a drastic step in her life,” said Dr Ravindra Agarwal.
