Minor among two held for murder in Warje

A minor boy was among two held by Pune police on Sunday for the murder of a man in the case of a murder of a 28-year-old man in Bhusari colony, Kothrud on January 20.

The deceased was identified as Jagdish Jitenra Pardhe, (28), a resident of Warje Malwadi. He was strangled and attacked with a sharp weapon on his forehead, face, and chin in an alleged effort to hide his identity, according to police.

The adult was identified as Malinga Sharnappa Mhetre, (21), a plumber and a resident of Warje in Pune while the other was identified as a minor boy of 16 years, according to senior police inspector Shankar Khatke of Warje Malwadi police station.

While Mhetre himself is a plumber, the family members of the minor are in the business of selling fruits for a living, according to the police. The reason for the murder, however, could not be ascertained.

The body was found along the service road leading to Shinde Farm in Kothrud on the morning of January 20.

“The man was kidnapped and killed in Warje and the body was dumped in Kothrud. The case has, therefore, been transferred to Warje Malwadi,” said Police inspector (crime) Balasaheb Bade of Kothrud police station.

A case of murder and criminal conspiracy was first registered at Kothrud police station on January 21. It was later transferred to Warje Malwadi police station and a case under Section 363 (kidnapping), 302 (murder), 201 (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code was registered.