Sarangi Mahajan, wife of Pravin Mahajan, who is accused of killing elder brother and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pramod Mahajan, said on Wednesday that her husband shot his brother in a fit of rage.

"All three Mahajan brothers -- Pramod, Pravin and Prakash -- are headstrong and can get angry very soon, sometimes reacting very harshly," Sarangi said, speaking to PTI at her residence in Thane, near Mumbai. She added that they also calm down soon but 'by that time, the damage is done'.

"My late father in-law was equally headstrong and my mother in-law often said that Pravin had inherited all his traits," she said.

• Who is Pravin Mahajan?

Sarangi said that although Pravin had gone to his brother's Worli residence to sort out their problems, their ties had begun to sour many years ago. However, Sarangi said that Pravin was very possessive about Pramod and would never hear ill of him.

For the past 90 days, since the shoot-out and subsequent death of Pramod Mahajan, Sarangi and her twins - Kapil and Vrushali - have closeted themselves in their Thane home. She is quite anguished that none of the Mahajan family members have visited them in their time of trouble.

"Only Prakash kaka called up a couple of ties to inquire about the children but no-one has visited us," she said but admitted that the family might be angered by the events that have transpired.

Because of the continuous media and public attention, Sarangi had stayed at home but decided to meet her husband in Arthur Road jail on May 29. She said she was tired of reading reports that her relationship with her husband has soured.

• Farewell, Mr Mahajan

"Despite being allowed home-cooked meals by the court he is aware it would not be possible for us to deliver those meals everyday. He says he is happy with the daal-roti he gets in jail. He told the children to concentrate on themselves and their careers." Sarangi said.

She said that Pravin advised his children - "You have many challenges ahead. Prove yourselves and make me proud too."

"Life is indeed a challenge for our twins. Earlier, had the incident not happened, they could have used their uncle's influence to secure admission to colleges but now it's all up to them to fight battlesand make a place for themselves," Sarangi said.

She is amazed to see how her children have overcome the trauma in a mature manner. "They are already back to their normal life. Nobody asks them inconvenient questions as their peers and others know well what our circumstances are," she said.

• A cynic's view of the Mahajan affair

Sarangi said she and Pravin consciously raised their children in a middle-class environment, since her husband wanted the children to hold family values. "We could have shifted to south Mumbai and offered them luxuries similar to what their cousins enjoyed," she said.

With no-one from Mahajan family to stand by her at this time, Sarangi finds moral support in her two brothers who keep visiting from Nagpur. Her aged mother and maternal aunt are staying with her. She also does not wish to comment on Pravin's counsel's demand that he be subjected to psychological tests.

"My brothers are liasing with the advocate and I do not deal with him at all," she said, but added that Pravin was a responsible father and a sensible human being.

Complete coverage:

• A brother's wrath: Pramod Mahajan shot
• Tragedy strikes the Mahajans, again