Two days after a man attempted suicide following the alleged stabbing death of a 29-year-old woman inside a private company office in Mohali, police reported on Saturday that the accused is not yet fit to provide a statement.
Accused Hospitalized After Self-Inflicted Injury
"The accused, who injured himself with a knife after the incident, is hospitalized here. He will be questioned once the doctors declare him fit to give a statement," said Mohali Phase 11 Station House Officer Aman Baidwan. The accused, identified as Harjinder Mann, 34, carried two knives, both of which have been recovered from the crime scene.
Details of the Incident
The incident occurred on Thursday evening when Dimple Khatri, 29, was allegedly stabbed to death by her colleague and spurned partner, Mann, inside the office of a private company in Mohali. After repeatedly stabbing Dimple, Mann attempted to kill himself with the same knife. Both were rushed to a hospital, where Dimple, who sustained nearly 30 stab wounds, was declared brought dead, according to a police official.
Mann, whose parents reside in the United States, is hospitalized and has been booked for murder. A purported CCTV footage of the attack has surfaced online, showing the accused approaching Dimple from behind and attacking her. At the time of the incident, a shift change was underway, leaving only two to three people on the floor, which police say the accused exploited.
Family Shocked by the Attack
Dimple's family expressed shock over the incident, stating they had no knowledge of Mann or his intentions. Her granduncle, Balwant Rai, informed reporters on Friday in Patiala that Dimple was planning to resign from her job on Friday as her family was arranging a suitable match for her marriage.
Both Mann and Dimple were residents of Patiala and worked at the same office. They lived in separate paying guest accommodations in Mohali, on the outskirts of Chandigarh. They had been employed together for nearly three years at a process-oriented freight brokerage and business support company near Mohali's Bestech Mall.
Investigation Reveals Troubled Relationship
Police stated that according to preliminary investigations, Dimple and Mann were "good friends" but had parted ways a few months ago. Mann attempted to reconcile, but Dimple rejected his advances, which he could not handle, said a police official on Friday. "They were very good friends earlier, but later on there was some rift between them," said SHO Aman Baidwan.
Investigations also revealed that Mann was suffering from depression after another woman with whom he had a relationship left him. It was during this period that he became acquainted with Dimple. The woman was cremated on Friday evening in Patiala after her body was handed over to her family following a postmortem.
