An Indian-origin mother has been left “utterly alone” after her husband and six-year-old daughter died in a suspected murder-suicide on the Parramatta River in Sydney, prompting an outpouring of support from the local community.
Police allege 47-year-old Maulik Dhandhukia rented a boat near Concord in Sydney’s inner west on Saturday and took his young daughter onto the water before both entered the river.
Emergency services launched a major search operation after reports of a person in the water. Dhandhukia’s body was located floating in the Parramatta River shortly before midday, while his daughter’s body was recovered about 5.30 pm after a seven-hour search.
According to media reports, CCTV footage from a nearby property allegedly showed Dhandhukia throwing his daughter overboard before entering the water himself. It is understood that neither could swim. A suicide note was reportedly found on the rented boat.
The tragedy has left Dhandhukia’s wife, Pritiben Dhandhukia, grieving the loss of her husband and daughter.
A fundraiser launched by family friend Jignesh Parmar described the devastating impact on the family.
“Her beloved husband and her cherished daughter — her entire family, her whole reason for getting up each morning — were taken from her,” the fundraiser states.
“The home that was once full of love and laughter is now silent. And Pritiben, who gave her heart to her family every single day, has been left utterly alone.”
The fundraiser aims to assist with funeral and memorial expenses, religious and cultural rites, travel costs for family members, and immediate living support.
The motive behind the incident remains unclear.
Just weeks before the tragedy, Dhandhukia had written publicly about living with chronic neck pain stemming from a gym injury sustained in 2005. In a social media post, he said the injury had affected much of his life.
“To summarise, maybe 70 per cent to 90 per cent of the problems that I faced in my life were due to this neck pain,” he wrote.
Dhandhukia worked as an analyst in application support for the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District and had previously held roles in the technology sector in both Australia and India.
NSW Police said Dhandhukia was not known to police, and there were no apprehended violence orders in place.
Superintendent Christine McDonald described the incident as “an absolute tragedy for the family and the community on every level”.
“Obviously, a mother in this situation who knows that her husband is now deceased … it would rock any mother to the core,” she said.
Police are continuing their investigation and examining whether family violence was a factor in the incident.
Anyone with information is urged to contact NSW Police or Crime Stoppers.
If this story raises concerns for you or someone you know, support is available through Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
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