In a grim discovery, the Vishrantwadi police in Pune exhumed the decomposed body of a 17-year-old boy from a forested hilly area on Wednesday afternoon, leading to the arrest of four individuals in connection with his murder.
Body Recovered from Remote Hillside
The victim, identified as Amansingh Gachand, a resident of Vishrantwadi who worked as a painter, was found buried in a trench near Gogalwadi off the Khed-Shivapur–Saswad road. The exhumation was carried out under the supervision of Inspector Sampatrao Raut in the presence of the local tehsildar and witnesses. Forensic experts conducted an on-site post-mortem examination due to the advanced state of decomposition.
According to police, the arrested suspects led investigators to the spot. "The arrested duo led us to the spot where they had buried the body," Inspector Raut stated. The trench had reportedly been dug earlier for plantation work by forest officials, which the accused used to conceal the body after covering it with soil.
Arrests Made in Connection with Old Rivalry
The police have arrested two adults and detained two minors for the alleged murder. The adult accused are Prathamesh Chindu Adhal (19) and Nagesh Balaji Dhabale (19), both residents of Shivane. The two minors detained are aged 16 and 17 years. The two adult accused were apprehended from Belagavi in Karnataka.
The investigation reveals that the crime stemmed from an old rivalry. On December 29, the suspects contacted Gachand using a girl's social media handle, luring him to Katraj. They then took him to an isolated stretch along the Khed-Shivapur road. There, they allegedly assaulted him with stones and billhooks, leading to his death.
Investigation Triggered by Missing Complaint
The case came to light when the victim's mother, Anita (44), a resident of Tingrenagar, filed a missing person complaint with the Vishrantwadi police on December 31. Her son had left home on the morning of December 29 and had not returned.
Analysis of the victim's mobile phone records proved crucial in cracking the case. This digital trail helped police trace, arrest, and detain the suspects on Tuesday, a day before the body was exhumed. Police are still working to verify who owns and operates the social media handle used to lure the victim.
The Vishrantwadi police continue their investigation into the brutal murder, which has sent shockwaves through the local community.
