Bellair shooting tragedy: husband says murder-suicide is a 'mystery'

Family dismiss claims that an argument triggered the incident

- YOSHINI PERUMAL

A WEEK after his son shot dead his wife and then turned the gun on himself, a Bellair man said the motive was a mystery to him and his family.

Sunjeeth Dhanpal Moodley, 50, a self-employed motor mechanic, shot his mother Sharla Devi Moodley, 80, on the right side of her head at close range, and then shot himself in his head at around 7pm last Wednesday night.

His father Balan Moodley, 77, said his wife and son shared a close bond, and their deaths were a mystery to him and his family.

He said there had been no argument or problems between the mother and son that could have led to the shooting.

“The two of them were very close. He loved his mother to bits. Anything she wanted, he got or bought for her. My son lived with us and he took care of us to the best of his ability. Nobody knows what happened, and we ask people not to speculate as we are struggling to come to terms with this tragedy. It is a mystery. Nobody knows what really happened between them that could have led to this. God bless their souls,” Moodley said.

Moodley’s eldest grandson, Radesh Mohabir, said while there was widespread speculation, he wished to clarify initial media reports of there being an argument, that sparked the shooting.

“My uncle was a qualified mechanic, and he was loved by everyone who knew him. He was kind and caring and shared those traits with my grandmother.

“There were no arguments between my uncle and grandmother, and as a family, we are concerned about the false news. Their deaths will remain a mystery to us, as there is still no clue as to why he would do something like this. He treated my grandparents like gold. My grandmother was loved by her family, friends, her 11 grandchildren and one great greatgrandchild,” Mohabir added.