india

Updated: May 22, 2018 20:02 IST

A debt-ridden businessman allegedly shot dead his wife and two daughters at their residence in Ahmedabad’s upscale Judges Bungalow Road locality on Tuesday morning.

Police said the incident occurred after a domestic dispute over sending one of their daughters abroad for higher education. The accused was identified as 50-year-old Dharmesh Shah, the owner of a construction business.

According to assistant commissioner of police SN Zala, Shah first killed his wife, Amiben, using a licensed pistol at their apartment in Ratnam Tower building. The daughters – Heli (24) and Khushi (18) – were killed with a different 12-bore firearm, he added.

Police said the accused intended to commit suicide after eliminating his family.

“Soon after killing the three, Shah called up an engineer in his company to tell him that he intended to commit suicide. However, when the latter reached their residence, he found that the accused had not gone through with his plan. Shah later surrendered before the police,’’ said an officer with the Satellite police station.

Police said Shah had a debt of Rs 15 crore that his family was unaware of. They believe that his wife’s plan to send their elder daughter to Australia for higher studies at a cost of Rs 70 lakh had finally pushed him over the edge.

“Shah first shot his wife with a pistol while the rest of the family was in bed. He then killed both the daughters with a 12-bore gun. He fired one round at his wife and two rounds each at his daughters,” Zala said.

Further investigation is on.

(With agency inputs)