Pravin Mahajan dies four years after killing brother (Third Lead)

MUMBAI - Pravin Mahajan, sentenced to life imprisonment in 2007 for killing his elder brother and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pramod Mahajan, died in a Thane hospital Wednesday evening after remaining in coma for three months, hospital authorities said. He was 50.

Pravin Mahajan was admitted to the Jupiter Hospital in Thane following a brain haemorrhage Dec 11, 2009, when he was on parole He had been in coma since then and was put on life support system but failed to recover, a close aide of the family said.

A spokesman for the Jupiter Hospital said his condition deteriorated sharply Monday.

“His condition became critical since the past 48 hours, his blood pressure fell, kidneys stopped functioning and even his other vital systems deteriorated and failed,” the spokesperson told mediapersons at the hospital.

In a dramatic murder that shocked the country, Pravin Mahajan shot his elder brother Pramod Mahajan on April 22, 2006, in his Mumbai home. The high-profile BJP leader succumbed to his bullet wounds 11 days later on May 3.

Shortly after committing the crime, Pravin walked down to the Worli police station and surrendered with his weapon.

Pravin Mahajan was sentenced to life by a sessions court for fratricide on Dec 18, 2007. He was in the Nashik Central Jail and was on parole on medical grounds when he suffered the stroke.

He was released for 14 days Nov 27, 2009, and was due to return to jail Dec 12. But around 10.30 p.m. Dec 11, he was rushed to the Jupiter Hospital following fatigue, giddiness and severe headache, later diagnosed as a massive brain haemorrhage.

He was kept under the care of a team of specialists, including a physician, neurologist, neurosurgeon and a cardiologist.

After a long battle lasting nearly 80 days, Pravin Mahajan died around 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Pravin Mahajan’s family, including wife Sarangi, twins - son Kapil and daughter Vaishali - and other relatives had gathered at the hospital Wednesday.

The hospital has written to the police and prison authorities regarding further instructions on conducting an autopsy.

“We will wait for their reply. If they want to do an autopsy, we shall do it, if they want us to hand over the body, we shall do that accordingly,” the hospital spokesperson said.

Hospital authorities added that six doctors were beside Pravin Mahajan before his death Wednesday.

“We also used to send a daily medical update on his condition to the police and other concerned authorities,” the spokesperson said.

Referring to a possible dispute over the payment of medical expenses for Pravin Mahajan, the hospital said it would discuss the matter with his family or the government.

In January, Pravin Mahajan’s wife Sarangi had appealed to the state government to bear the cost of her husband’s stay in hospital since the family could not afford it.

However, the government declined to bear the medical expenses.