Labourer Plants Diary at Crime Scene to Mislead Probe, Held for Double Murder in Pune
In a shocking case of deception and violence, a 43-year-old labourer has been arrested by Pune Rural Police for allegedly murdering two individuals and attempting to mislead the investigation by planting a diary at the crime scene. The incident, which unfolded in the Baramati and Khed areas of Pune district, highlights the lengths to which perpetrators may go to evade justice.
Discovery of the Crime and Initial Clues
On the morning of January 19, 2026, the body of an unidentified woman was discovered in the Kalkhairewadi area of Baramati taluka, located approximately 75 kilometers from Pune city. As police began their investigation, they reviewed CCTV footage from the vicinity, which revealed suspicious movements by an unknown man in the area around the time of the crime. Despite this lead, the individual could not be immediately identified.
Near the crime scene, investigators found a small diary that contained the name, photograph, and phone number of a local tamarind trader. This discovery initially pointed toward the trader as a potential suspect, prompting police to question him. However, it soon became evident that the diary was a deliberate misdirection planted to divert attention from the real culprit.
Unraveling the Deception and Identifying the Suspect
When police showed the tamarind trader the CCTV footage of the suspect, he recognized the man as Jaitu Chindhu Borkar, a 43-year-old resident of Koyande village in Khed. Borkar occasionally worked as a labourer for the trader, assisting with tamarind harvesting. This identification led police to focus their investigation on Borkar, uncovering a web of personal conflicts and past criminal activities.
Further investigation revealed that Borkar had been working with two individuals: Ranjana Arun Waghmare, a 25-year-old woman from Karjat in Raigad, and Suraj Ankush Wagh, a 30-year-old man from Wangbi in Badlapur. Both were employed alongside Borkar in the Koyande area, setting the stage for a tragic turn of events.
Motives and Details of the Double Murder
According to police officers involved in the probe, Borkar had been pressuring Waghmare to live with him, a demand she consistently refused. It was discovered that Waghmare and Wagh were in a relationship, which likely fueled Borkar's resentment. On the night of January 17, Borkar allegedly murdered Wagh using a sharp weapon and disposed of his body in a hilly area.
The following day, January 18, Borkar forcibly brought Waghmare to the Kalkhairewadi area in Baramati. Fearing that she might report Wagh's murder to the authorities, Borkar then bludgeoned Waghmare to death, leaving her body at the scene. To complicate the investigation, he planted the diary with the tamarind trader's details, hoping to mislead police.
Arrest and Revelation of Past Crimes
Borkar was subsequently arrested and charged with the murders of both Waghmare and Wagh. During the investigation, it was revealed that this was not his first involvement in violent crimes. Sandeep Singh Gill, Superintendent of Police for Pune Rural, stated that Borkar had a history of murder convictions. In 2007, he was involved in one murder, and in 2018, he killed two individuals in a single incident. At the time of the recent murders, Borkar was out on bail, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the judicial system in handling repeat offenders.
This case underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement in solving crimes where perpetrators employ deceptive tactics. The Pune Rural Police's diligent work in analyzing CCTV footage and following up on leads ultimately led to the arrest, demonstrating the importance of thorough investigative procedures in bringing criminals to justice.