Man Beheads COVID-19 Infected Wife In Front Of Children, Later Kills Self

A man beheaded his wife after she tested positive for COVID-19 and then killed himself by jumping off the roof of his apartment, police said Monday.

The accused, identified as Atul Lal, reportedly used a sharp weapon to kill his wife. The 49-year-old man later jumped to death from the roof of his fourth-floor flat, the Times of India reported. The incident happened in the Indian city of Patna on Monday.

It came to light when the couple's children raised an alarm after they saw their father using a sharp weapon to slit their mother's throat. Neighbors gathered outside the house but did not enter as they feared they would contract the infection. When the accused saw the children, he got nervous and jumped off the roof, the Times of India reported.

Officials said the couple had an argument over some issues a day before the attack. They had been living in the apartment for over three years and had two children – a 16-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son.

"Earlier, the neighbors used to intervene, but later they started ignoring it as it had become a routine affair," an investigating officer told the Times of India.

The security guard of the apartment told police that on Monday morning he heard a thud and rushed to see what happened. He found Lal in a pool of blood near the apartment. He immediately alerted other residents and called the police.

"The statements of the deceased's children will be recorded when the situation becomes normal. At present, they are in a state of shock," Patrakar Nagar police station house officer Ravindra Kumar told the outlet.

In February, a woman allegedly beheaded her 13-month-old baby before jumping off the roof of a building. While the motive behind the murder was not clear, reports said the woman was mentally challenged.

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.