Raigad homestay owner killed by drunk tourists, 3 arrested

Four drunk men killed a woman in Raigad after a dispute over a homestay. Three were arrested; the driver is still at large

Navi Mumbai: Four men in inebriated condition rammed their car into a woman and killed her in Raigad district on Sunday following a dispute over booking rooms at the homestay owned by her brother. Three of the accused, all tourists from Pune, have been arrested while the fourth and main accused, the driver, is absconding.

Police arrested Irappa Yamanppa Dhotre and two other accused

The deceased was identified as Jyoti Sudhakar Damanskar, 28, while the accused were identified as Irappa Yamanppa Dhotre, 32, Aakash Govind Gawade, 26, Vicky Premsingh Gill, 30, and a person named Uttekar who was driving the car. The incident occurred in the Harihareshwar area of Raigad in the early hours of the day, said officials from Shrivardhan police.

“When the four men reached Mamta Home Stay owned by Abhijeet Sudhakar Damanskar at 12.48am on Sunday seeking rooms on rent, they were turned away as they appeared very drunk,” said Raigad superintendent of police Somnath Gharge.

Agitated, the accused first allegedly assaulted the homestay owner. When local residents gathered at the spot, three of them fled while the fourth person was nabbed. “At 1.30am, the accused returned to pick up their associate. They threatened to run their vehicle over locals if they objected to the release of their friend. Later, they used the Scorpio (registration number MH12GF 6100) to hit the lodge owner’s sister and injure her fatally,” Gharge added.

All four accused were subsequently booked under sections 103(1), 115(2), 351(3) and 5(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

“Among the arrested accused, Gawade runs a small-scale business while the remaining two are auto drivers. We have formed two teams to nab the fourth and main accused,” said a police officer.

The arrested will be produced before in court on Monday, said police.