Tardeo robbery and murder: Police follow trail of three suspects to Pune

According to the police, after committing the crime, the trio got out of the building and took a taxi up to Metro cinema in South Mumbai. They then took another taxi to reach Dadar, from where they boarded a state transport bus for Pune

MUMBAI: The police have traced the trail of the three robbers who allegedly smothered Surekha Agarwal, a 70-year-old Tardeo resident, on Saturday night while robbing her house in Yousuf Manzil.

Around 20 teams have been formed to smoke out and nab the three robbers. The local police station and crime branch teams are in Pune and trying to ascertain where the accused went after reaching Pune at around 11.30 am on Sunday. One police team has reached Indore and is verifying a few leads. (HT PHOTO)

According to the police, after committing the crime, the trio got out of the building and took a taxi up to Metro cinema in South Mumbai. They then took another taxi to reach Dadar, from where they boarded a state transport bus for Pune.

Around 20 teams have been formed to smoke out and nab the three robbers. The local police station and crime branch teams are in Pune and trying to ascertain where the accused went after reaching Pune at around 11.30 am on Sunday. One police team has reached Indore and is verifying a few leads.

Surekha and her husband Madan Agarwal lived on the third floor of Yousuf Manzil on Kashinath street in Tardeo. The building does not have a security guard, which the three robbers, who conducted a recce before the burglary, had noted. CCTV camera footage showed them outside the building a day before the incident getting into a taxi. The police questioned the taxi driver and learnt that the accused went to Marine Drive after the recce on Saturday.

The robbers had also noted that Agarwal went for a morning walk every day. Consequently, on Sunday they landed up at the house between 6 am and 6.30 am. When Agarwal opened the door to leave for his walk, the trio dragged him inside the house and locked the door. They tied Agarwal’s hands and legs with adhesive tape and gagged his mouth.

The robbers then went to the bedroom where Surekha was asleep and bound her hands and legs and gagged her mouth with the adhesive tape. Thereafter, they opened the cupboard and decamped with valuables.

The incident came to light after the robbers left and Agarwal managed to crawl to the door and open it to seek help. However, the other two flats on the floor were locked. It was only around 7.45 am when one of his neighbours heard his screams for help that he rushed to help him.

The neighbour immediately informed the Tardeo police about the incident. Surekha was taken to Nair Hospital, but died there. Her husband’s condition is said to be stable.

“We are exploring all possible ways to nab the accused. The technical teams are working day and night. Several teams are out of the city but until now, no one has been arrested,” said a senior IPS officer.

Agarwal’s son lives in Wadala, and was informed about the incident. The couple has been living in Yousuf Manzil for two or three years, and their children would visit them on weekends.