GRP constable murdered by wife, her lover: Police

Navi Mumbai police solved the murder of constable Vijay Chavan, revealing his wife's affair led to his death; she and three others were arrested.

Navi Mumbai: The mystery surrounding the death of a police constable who was pushed in front of a moving train in the early hours on New Years’ Day was solved after the arrest of the constable’s wife on Monday afternoon. An extramarital affair between the deceased’s wife and her maternal cousin was the cause of the murder, investigation by the railway police showed.

GRP constable murdered by wife, her lover: Police

On January 1, a motorman witnessed two unidentified persons in white shirt push constable Vijay Chavan, 42, before a moving train. The incident occurred between Rabale and Ghansoli railway stations, following which a case of murder was registered against two unknown persons.

During investigation, it was found that on December 31, the constable’s alcohol was spiked by one of the accused. Two others strangled him to death and decided to throw his dead body before a moving train to project his death as an accident, said an investigating officer.

The accused were identified as Puja Chavan, the constable’s wife; 29-year-old Bhushan Nimba Bramhe, Puja’s cousin; Bramhe’s friends Prakash alias Dhiraj Gulab Chava, 23, and Pravin Aaba Pan Patil, 21.

The officer said that the wife’s role in the crime was established as the constable had learnt about her extramarital affair and she wanted to get rid of him. “The mastermind of the crime is the cousin, with the knowledge of the wife. On December 31, 2024, the constable and Prakash drank together and drove to a roadside stall to eat. The other accused persons joined them from there and the constable was strangled in their return journey,” the officer said. The three took the constable’s body towards the Rabale-Ghansoli railway tracks and sat amidst the bushes, waiting for the first local. When they saw a train approaching, two of them pushed the body on the tracks. “The plan was to make the constable’s death appear as an accident,” added the officer.

The motorman’s alertness and quick action spoiled their plans “The motorman noticed the whole event and stopped the train from going any further. The accused had run by then. Post-mortem revealed the constable’s death was due to strangulation,” he said.

Bramhe, Chava and Patil were arrested over the past week while the constable’s wife was nabbed on Monday afternoon.