Nagpur Engineering Students' Alleged Goodwill Gesture Curdles into Brutal Murder for Car Theft
In a shocking incident that unfolded in Nagpur, what began as a roadside act of assistance by three engineering students allegedly escalated into a premeditated murder for vehicle theft. The trio, who first offered to help a heavily intoxicated driver, are accused of killing him hours later to seize his red Alto car and expensive mobile phones.
From Assistance to Alleged Homicide: The Night's Fateful Turn
Police reported that late Thursday evening, the three students—identified as Aryan Shende (22), Rishabh Kamble (20), and Anuj Ramesh (19)—spotted 44-year-old spare parts supplier Suchit Bhojapure slumped over his steering wheel on a flyover at Wardhaman Nagar in eastern Nagpur. Initially offering to park his vehicle safely, the situation evolved when Bhojapure, in his intoxicated state, requested they drive him instead.
What started as a simple act of goodwill stretched into an extended journey. The students first drove Bhojapure on a delivery run to Bhiwapur, a town southeast of Nagpur, before heading toward his residence near Baba Trimurti Nagar in Wadi, located on the city's western outskirts. A critical phone call to Bhojapure's wife dramatically altered the night's trajectory, according to investigators.
The Phone Call That Sparked Greed and Violence
When the students contacted Bhojapure's wife, she initially asked them to bring her husband home. However, her reaction turned angry upon learning they had arrived at a locked house, questioning why they had returned her "drunkard husband." Police stated this exchange led the students to believe the man was "unloved," planting the seeds for their alleged criminal intentions.
Greed reportedly took over at this point. Investigators said the trio allegedly conspired to murder Bhojapure and keep his vehicle, planning to change its number plate and color to avoid detection. They drove to a deserted area near a crematorium on Khadgaon Road in Wadi, where they dragged Bhojapure from the car and brutally smashed his skull with stones. To further hinder identification, they stripped his body and dumped it in nearby bushes before fleeing with the Alto car and two high-value mobile phones.
Swift Police Investigation and Arrests
Bhojapure's father, Upasrao, had filed a missing person complaint after his son failed to return home. The body was discovered Friday morning, triggering an intensive investigation. Crime branch teams, led by senior inspector Dnyaneshwar Bhedodkar under the supervision of senior officers Vasant Pardeshi, Rahul Maknikar, and Abhijit Patil, cracked the case within an impressive 12-hour timeframe.
Investigators utilized multiple techniques including CCTV footage analysis, technical surveillance, and call record examination. These methods pointed directly to Aryan Shende, who had made the fateful call to Bhojapure's wife. Police apprehended Aryan from a college campus in Nandanvan in east Nagpur, where he initially denied involvement. However, bloodstains discovered on one of his shoes contradicted his claims, leading to a confession. The other two suspects were rounded up shortly afterward.
All three engineering students now face formal charges of murder and have been remanded to police custody as the investigation continues to uncover further details about this tragic case of alleged betrayal and violence.
