Bahrain expat kills wife, then slits own throat

Smijo Paulose and Sanitha Chandy George were newly married

An apparently stressed young Indian husband stabbed his newlywed wife to death and killed himself by slashing his own throat after stabbing another family member in the Salmania area of Manama, Bahrain.

The violent crime followed by suicide, hardly two months after a pregnant Indian beautician hung herself in front of a web camera after her husband did not answer a call, has sent fresh shockwaves across working couples in the island nation where a number of suicides due to strained family relationship have been reported.

Smijo Paulose, a staff nurse from Kerala working at the Bahrain Health Ministry, stabbed his wife, Sanitha Chandy George (27) on Monday morning.

The incident happened in the Al Salmania flat of another relative’s house, and a third person who was stabbed by Smijo has survived.

In Bahrain for four years, Smijo married Sanitha earlier this year in January. Reportedly, the couple often quarreled over their relationship, and a recent abortion precipitated the differences, resulting in the wife relocating to her sister’s home, the scene of the crime. Sanitha used to work in a psychiatric hospital in Manama.

“Police investigation is going on about the sad suicide and murder incident, which happened in the Salmania area of Manama, Bahrain. It is a small country and the area is inhabited by many Indian families. Strained relationship between the husband and wife is suspected for the crime, and a third family member, husband of the lady’s sister, Reji David was also stabbed before Smijo killed himself. Reji is recovering as the injury is not fatal,” said Sree Sadan, a journalist from the 4 PM Evening Newspaper, widely read by the Kerala community.

He added that was too early to speculate about the reasons for the death, but such incidents are causing panic in the community. Smijo hails from Pulimanam Padiyadath, Ankmaly Kerala. Police took evidence from the scene, questioned the survivor. A six-year-old girl, Sangeetha Reji, is also said to have witnessed the crime, he added.

“The stabbing and suicide bid happened after 2 pm on Monday at the house of Sanitha’s sister. Two girls aged three and six years were present in the house. When Reji David came for lunch, he was also attacked with the sharp knife,” said Sree Sadan.

~ emirates247