Mumbai: The family of Roshan Suvarna, who has been accused of murdering co-traveller Mayank Lohar in a local train following an altercation over a trivial dispute over keeping the door closed late on Tuesday, said he cried after coming home at night and told them about the crime the next morning.They also claimed that Suvarna was drunk at the time. Police are ascertaining the veracity of this claim.According to the family, Suvarna had downed drinks after work on Tuesday—he runs a small business making barcodes. He wanted to take a taxi to his residence in Mira Road, but was unable to find one. “He took the train because he couldn’t find a taxi,” said Prashant, his brother. “Typically, he travelled in air-conditioned locals as they are not as crowded as non-AC trains.” On Tuesday night, Suvarna boarded a non-AC Nalasopara-bound fast local.After reaching home later that night, he started to cry, claimed Prashant. “We did not prod as he was inebriated and asked him to go to bed. The next morning, he told us about the incident.”According to a close friend, Suvarna wanted to get wet in the rain and so had stood at the door of the first-class compartment. “He told us that there was an altercation over keeping the door shut, following which a few passengers, reportedly including Lohar, manhandled him and he sustained an injury near his eye,” the friend said. Suvarna told his family and the friend that he was going to their hometown in Mangaluru for a few days and left the house.Later on Wednesday, GRP tracked down Suvarna’s residence. “They first picked up my father for questioning. Then police came home and questioned my mother. After we informed him over the phone, he said he would return and surrender before police,” claimed Prashant. Suvarna was at Panvel when police arrested him.His friend and Prashant said that while they do not condone the offence, there is a “social media trial” going on right now, which is impacting their lives and jobs, too.Suvarna lived with his parents and brother at Mira Road. The family had earlier lived in Santacruz.
