6 held for murder committed 2 years ago

The crime branch on Monday claimed to have solved a murder that took place two years ago and arrested six people. In February 2008, Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Rakesh Maria said, an unidentified body, was found at Mandangad in Ratnagiri district. The victim was hit on his head with a blunt object.

The crime branch on Monday claimed to have solved a murder that took place two years ago and arrested six people.

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In February 2008, Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Rakesh Maria said, an unidentified body, was found at Mandangad in Ratnagiri district. The victim was hit on his head with a blunt object.

However, last week a constable from the Unit XII of the crime branch received information that a quarrel between two brothers from Kandivli had resulted in the death of one of them. On further investigation, the police learnt that the body found at Mandangad was that of Dillip Prabhudas Wakhadia (38), a resident of Bagesara in Valsad district of Gujarat.

The police picked up victim’s elder brother Kirit for questioning. The police found out that Dillip’s murder was well planned. As per Maria, the victim was an alcoholic without any job and would often beat up his mother.

The family was fed up with Dillip's alcoholism and constant demand for money. Kirit, in consultation with his brother-in-law Ketan Bhutani chalked out a plan to kill him. Kirit roped in one Suryakant Ghadi(41), a pan-shop owner who lived in his vicinity. Ghadi later on sought help from Maruti Dhusa (36) who worked in a gym, Sitaram Patil (32), who was doing odd jobs and Kalwa Mangesh Mandavkar (32), a tourist taxi driver.

given a second-hand truck.He was taken in a van to Navi Mumbai under the pretext of seeing the truck. Ketan along with four others accompanied him. As they drove towards Ratnagiri, Dillip was hit on the head with a wooden stick. He fell unconscious and was suffocated to death. The body was later dumped at a deserted slope near Mandangad .

Maria said the death went unnoticed as no complaint was registered.