Barajevo: man threatened mother and wife with chainsaw
A 56-year-old man from Barajevo was arrested on suspicion he started a chainsaw and threatened his mother and wife, then tried to strangle his wife.
- A man identified by the initials V. S., aged 56, from Barajevo was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.
- He is suspected of starting a chainsaw and threatening to behead his mother and his wife.
- He then allegedly grabbed his wife by the neck and tried to strangle her.
- He was detained for up to 48 hours and will be handed over to prosecutors in Mladenovac.
A man has been arrested in Barajevo, a southwestern suburb of Belgrade, on suspicion that he endangered the safety of two of his closest relatives inside his own home. According to unofficial information, the man is identified by the initials V. S. and is 56 years old. He is being treated as a domestic violence suspect. The arrest followed a report to police, who responded at the scene.
According to allegations that are, for now, treated as suspicion, the incident began with a family argument. The suspect reportedly fell into a dispute with his mother and his wife. At one point, the same account says, he picked up a chainsaw, started it, and threatened to behead both women. A threat made with such a tool is treated as one of the most serious forms of intimidation, because it places victims in immediate fear for their lives.
According to unofficial information, the matter did not end with the threat. The suspect then allegedly grabbed his wife by the neck and tried to strangle her. Strangulation is regarded in practice as an especially dangerous form of violence, since it can cause severe harm within a short span of time. The victims have not been named, in line with the protection of their identity.
What happens after an arrest in a domestic violence case?
The suspect, V. S., has been detained for up to 48 hours. During that window, police and prosecutors gather evidence and take statements from the suspect, the injured parties, and any witnesses. Once the detention period ends, he is, according to the available information, to be brought before the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Mladenovac, which has jurisdiction over this part of the Belgrade area.
Prosecutors then decide on the next steps. They may ask the court to order custody, impose emergency protective measures, or continue proceedings under other conditions. At this stage the presumption of innocence applies, because these are suspicions and allegations rather than facts established by a final ruling. The case has been confirmed by several sources, but the final legal qualification rests with the prosecution.
Why are strangulation and threats with a tool treated as graver violence?
Serbia’s law on the prevention of domestic violence allows emergency measures to be imposed even before criminal proceedings begin. These include temporarily removing the offender from the home and a temporary ban on contacting or approaching the victim. Such measures can last 48 hours and may be extended by the court at the prosecution’s request.
A threat made with a tool such as a chainsaw, together with an attempted strangulation, changes the risk assessment that authorities carry out. Circumstances like these point to possible escalation, so decisions on protective measures and on any custody are made with greater care. The aim is to keep the victims safe while the allegations are being checked.
How quickly should institutions act when domestic violence turns into a threat with a tool and an attempted strangulation?
