Thane man held for killing woman, burning body in Panvel forest
Thane man held for killing woman, burning body in Panvel forest
Thane man held for killing woman – Navi Mumbai: After a two-month search to locate a woman whose burned remains were discovered in a forested region of Panvel, authorities finally apprehended a 27-year-old brick supplier from Thane. The accused, Karan Namdev Patil, allegedly murdered the victim and disposed of her body by setting it on fire following her demands for marriage.
Arrest and Initial Investigation
Panvel Taluka police arrested Patil on Sunday after he was linked to the disappearance of Anitadevi Bhagwan Rajbhar, 30, a resident of the Mumbra-Diva Road area. Rajbhar had been missing since April and was separated from her husband, living with her brother at the time of her vanishing.
Relationship and Motive
Patil and Rajbhar were acquainted and had maintained consistent communication prior to her disappearance. During questioning, Patil claimed he wished to terminate the relationship and grew frustrated with Rajbhar’s insistence on marrying him.
Crime and Disposal
On April 6, Patil reportedly took Rajbhar to a secluded location in his vehicle and struck her with an iron rod, causing severe head trauma. He later moved the body to the Chinchvali region of Panvel, doused it in petrol, and ignited it to conceal evidence of the crime.
Discovery and Identification
The case emerged on April 11 when villagers stumbled upon a charred corpse in bushes near the Chinchvali-Vakdi village boundary. The victim’s face and body were unrecognizable due to the intense burning, complicating identification efforts.
Breakthrough in Identification
A pivotal clue came from jewelry retrieved from the remains. Police constable Sunil Kudale noticed matches between the ornaments found on the body and those described in a missing persons report filed at Shil-Daighar police station. Further analysis of mobile records confirmed frequent contact between Rajbhar and Patil before her disappearance.
Confession and Suspicions
Initially, Patil avoided responding to police summons, which raised doubts. Following the evidence linking him to the crime, he was detained and allegedly confessed during interrogation, admitting to the act of killing and burning the body.