Daily Mail – A father of two is suspected of murdering his family in their Bradford home before killing himself.
MailOnline understands Jitendra Lad, 49, may have killed his wife Daksha, 44, and their two children, Trisha, 19, and Nisha, 17, before hanging himself in Blackberry Way, Clayton.
West Yorkshire Police have today launched a murder investigation but said they are not looking for anybody else in relation to the deaths.
Worried neighbours had not seen the family since Friday so called the police who found them dead last night. Detectives believe the bodies may have been in the house ‘for some time’.
Friends are ‘complete shock’ that the ‘well respected’ council payment officer, who was also chairman of the local grammar school association, may have killed his ‘lovely family’.
Close friend Niraj Patel, 49, said: ‘I’ve known him all my life. He was a very happy, easy-going chap, always a smile on his face, they were a lovely family.
‘I’m totally shocked. You’d never believe he would have an ounce of violence in him’.
A number of uniformed officers and forensic scientists could be seen working in the front garden and around a white hatchback car in the drive.
One of the bodies was taken out of the house and taken away in a private ambulance at around 2pm this afternoon.
After police said they suspected the bodies had been there for some time, neighbours told how they hadn’t seen the family since last week.
Barry Hawkins, 62, said: ‘I knew the dad, I used to deliver papers on the road in the morning.
‘Last time I saw him would have been Friday when I do the papers in the morning.
‘They looked fine. It would have been about 7.30am on Friday morning. I’d say hello and saw both parents.’
Suspect Jitendra was a watersports fanatic who posted on his Facebook profile pictures of him in a scuba diving gear while stating that he had ‘finally qualified as an ocean diver’ in April.
He is thought to be the chairman of the Friends of Thornton Grammar school, where his daughters Nisha and Trisha studied.
The husband and wife both worked for Bradford council as clerical staff.
Councillor David Green, leader of the local authority, said: ‘Local people are shocked and saddened by the news of this terrible event and our sympathy goes out to the wider family, friends and neighbours of this family.
‘The husband and wife of the family… both worked for Bradford Council and councillors and employees are very upset after hearing the dreadful news of their deaths.
‘Obviously, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage as the investigation into how it happened is continuing, but we would urge anyone who may have any information about this tragedy to contact the police immediately’.
Leave a Reply