25-year-old youth gets killed as gay relationship becomes toxic

MUMBAI: On Sunday in a case of a relationship which involved three men, a 25-year-old computer engineer died of a skull fracture after he was attacked by one of his companions with an iron candle stand. The attacker, Dhaval Unadkat, a Kandivli a resident, who is also a computer engineer and manages his family’s hotel business, has been arrested for murder, the police said.

The victim, Parth Raval, after suffering a head injury, did not die immediately. He was first taken to Holy Family Hospital, which is located in Bandra, where he said he didn’t want stitches. Even though it was recommended that he should go to Lilavati Hospital where advanced technology would be available. When doctors at Lilavati advised admission, Raval took discharge against medical advice and died in the evening, said senior inspector Girish Anavkar.

According to the Bandra police, Unadkat, Raval and one Mohammed Asif, all 25, became friends via Instagram and other social media platforms a few months ago and entered into a gay relationship.

However, Asif, a Bandra resident who is into the garment business and who is currently been made as a complainant in the case, it is said in the FIR that he had recently “blocked” Unadkat after the latter refused to undergo some medical tests. Upset over Asif not taking his calls, Unadkat went to pay him a visit at his rented home in Yasmin Villa at Hill Road at 11.30AM on Sunday and was angered when he saw Asif and Raval together in the room. A dispute ensued.

Victim didn’t want stitches, and left the hospital after first aid Mohammed Asif alleged that Unadkat tried to strangle him with a wire. “On seeing this, Raval intervened and was hit with a candle stand made of iron,” the complaint stated.

“Raval asked doctors to treat him using some medicinal gel instead of stitching the wound and took discharge against medical advice,” senior inspector Anavkar said.

The three then returned to Asif’s rented Hill Road villa, and Unadkat soon left for his Kandivali residence. When, at around 6PM, Asif called Raval, who was resting in another room in the house, there was no response. Police said Raval, who was lying unconscious, was then taken to Lilavati where he was declared dead before admission.

Police arrived on being informed by the hospital authorities, and during inquiry, Asif revealed that the nature of the incident. “Raval may have died because of the skull fracture. At around 9PM a case was registered and late Sunday night, Unadkat was arrested,” the police said. Apart from murder, he has also been booked for attempt to murder and criminal intimidation and remanded in police custody till November 9.