From GoFundMe by Gobindsingh Nihalani
An Indian IT professional and his wife were found dead of multiple stab wounds in their living room in North Arlington, N.J. in what police have implied to be a murder-suicide, The American Bazaar reports. According to the father of Aarti Balaji Rudrawar, the wife, she was pregnant with her and her husband’s, Balaji Bharat Rudrawar, second child.
Their first child, a 3.5-year-old girl, was found crying but unharmed after a neighbor called the police to perform a welfare check on the couple when she noticed two bodies lying on the floor upon looking through the mail slot of their apartment.
According to investigators, the husband stabbed his wife in the abdomen during a struggle where she attempted to fight him off. While they are unaware of how the husband received his own stab wounds, they stated that they “do not believe anyone else was involved in the deaths.”
Friends of the couple said that they were “shocked,” according to indica News. “We never saw them fighting,” Gobindsingh Nihalani said. “Aarti last November threw a surprise party to celebrate Balaji’s birthday.”
“None of us [friends] believe he can kill his wife; he loved her so much,” he added. “And so did Aarti. We have been on local outings several times.”
When contacted to ask about whether there had been previous complaints or domestic violence cases regarding the couple filed, the Bergen County prosecutor’s office told indica News that it was unable to disclose such information.
In the wake of the incident, Mayor of North Arlington Daniel H. Pronti issued a statement in support of the orphaned daughter. “My heart will always be with the small child who was left behind amid this horrific attack,” he said, according to indica News. “I can only pray that memories fade and this baby is placed with a loving family or parental figure.”
He also highlighted the issue of domestic violence, calling for greater awareness of its prevalence. “Gruesome crimes, unfortunately, occur every day, but we never want to believe they can happen near us,” Pronti said. “Be aware of the signs and if anyone is in fear for their safety or the safety of others, reach out for help.”
Nihalani created a GoFundMe page to form a trust account for the daughter’s welfare and education. In the course of 24 hours, it has raised over $90,000 for a $150,000 goal.
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