Nagpur Murder Mystery: Anonymous Tip Uncovers Cook's Body Buried for 8 Months
In a chilling case that remained hidden from authorities for nearly eight months, the murder of a 50-year-old cook from Mumbai was finally brought to light in Nagpur, thanks to an anonymous tip-off from a roadside pan kiosk informer. The victim, Pratap Singh Bais, was killed and buried in Ramtek, with the crime going unnoticed due to his estranged family ties and the absence of any missing person report.
Tip-Off Sparks Discreet Police Investigation
The case unraveled on March 9 when Superintendent of Police Harssh Poddar received crucial information about a buried body. He immediately directed the local crime branch (LCB) to launch a discreet probe into the matter. "The murder remained under the wraps for eight months as there was no missing complaint, accidental death report, or any other reference," Poddar explained. "We started from zero after the anonymous call and ended up uncovering a murder. The caller did not even know where the victim was buried or what led to the murder. All he told us was that the incident had taken place at a popular dhaba near Khindsi."
Jigsaw Pieces Lead to Arrests and Exhumation
Police painstakingly pieced together the clues, eventually rounding up five suspects, including the dhaba owner, Kailash Thackeray, and his son, Piyush Thackeray. During interrogation, the accused confessed to the crime, revealing that the decomposed body had been buried in a field since July 2025. On Monday, the remains were exhumed from Thackeray's farmland in Navargaon, under the Ramtek police station limits.
The victim, Bais, a resident of Vile Parle in Mumbai, had worked as a cook at the dhaba on the Ramtek-Tumsar Road for several years. Investigators disclosed that Bais had an alcohol addiction and frequently used foul language at work, which contributed to tensions.
Murder Motive and Cover-Up Unraveled
The tragic incident unfolded on July 20, 2025, when Bais allegedly stole a mobile phone from the dhaba. Six days later, Piyush Thackeray (23) confronted him about the theft. In a drunken state, Bais admitted to the crime and reportedly mocked Piyush over unpaid salaries. In a fit of rage, Piyush allegedly strangled Bais to death around 11 pm.
Fearing arrest, Piyush, along with his father Kailash (53) and three dhaba employees—Shivram Markam (50), Dharmaraj Barthi (45), and Dhiraj Wankhede (37)—buried the body in the farmland. Police noted that Bais had cut off ties with his family long ago, so no one reported him missing or inquired about his whereabouts.
Investigation and Legal Proceedings
Investigators first detained the three employees, who, under intense interrogation, confessed and revealed the burial location. This led to the arrests of Kailash and Piyush. A team, accompanied by the tehsildar, conducted a panchnama at the field and exhumed the badly decomposed remains. Initially, an accidental death report was filed, but it was later converted into a murder case at the Ramtek Police Station.
The postmortem confirmed death by strangulation. All five accused have been arrested and booked under Sections 103(1) (murder), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. They are currently in police custody as the investigation continues.
