Minors take cue from television series, kill 70-year-old woman in Pune

They entered her house and started watching TV with her before pushing her from behind and strangulating her to death. The children then fled with cash worth ₹93,000 and gold ornaments worth ₹67,500, according to the police

PUNE Two minor boys were apprehended by Pune police for robbing and killing a 70-year-old woman who knew and entertained them at her home often. The boys had allegedly watched episodes of “CID”, a famous Hindi language true-crime television series, and drawn inspiration from it, according to a statement issued by the Pune police.

Two minor boys were apprehended by Pune police for robbing and killing a 70-year-old woman who knew and entertained them at her home often. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The victim has been identified as Shalini Baban Sonawane (70), a resident of Sayali Heights in Hingane Khurd area of Pune. She was found dead in her living room on the night of October 30.

The apprehended minor boys are 16 and 14 years of age. While investigating the case, policeman Ujjav Mokashi learned from a bunch of local children that on the afternoon of October 30, two of their friends had retraced their steps in a hurry on the way to eat paani-puri.

“The footage (CCTV) of the two walking in a hurry towards their home added to the suspicion and based on it they were taken into confidence and questioned. The two kept a straight face and started replying rudely. One of them was known to be habitual of stealing from his own house. After more time under questioning, the two broke down and confessed to having killed the woman,” read the statement by senior police inspector Devidas Gheware of Sinhagad road police station.

The two had plotted a theft two months in advance and had stolen the key to the woman’s house for it. However, owing to her age, the woman did not leave the house much. The two then decided to rob her went to her house around 1:30pm on October 30.

They entered her house and started watching TV with her before pushing her from behind and strangulating her to death. The children then fled with cash worth ₹93,000 and gold ornaments worth ₹67,500, according to the police. All the valuables have been recovered from them.