Palghar: 16-Year-Old Arrested In Vasai Murder; Victim's Head Banged On Wall, Fatally Crushed With Boulder

A 16-year-old boy was taken into custody by the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police for his alleged involvement in brutally murdering a 23-year-old man. The victim's body was found in mutilated condition with his head crushed, from an isolated area in the Bapane area of Naigaon in Vasai on November 22.

Details of investigation

After post-mortem reports confirmed that the deceased had suffered serious injuries on his head indicating a murderous assault. The police converted the accidental death report (ADR) into an offence under sections 302 and 201 of the IPC. Since the body was almost reduced to a skeleton, the investigating team circulated photographs of the clothes and other belongings and deputed special teams to scan missing persons complaints registered at police stations in and around the region.

This led to the identification of the deceased as Lavesh Ramesh Mali (23), a resident of Kaman village who had been missing since November 8. Based on inputs and testimony given by an eye-witness, the crime branch unit had earlier arrested a 30-year-old auto-rickshaw driver, Devidas Suraj Singh, alias Pakya, for his involvement in the crime.

Role of the minor

Based on the information provided by the accused, a crime detection team from the Naigaon police station, led by senior police inspector Ramesh Bhame, activated their core informer network and, based on a tip-off, found the minor sleeping on a pavement in Malad. Investigations revealed that the deceased was driving the auto-rickshaw belonging to Pakya, which he rammed into a stationary dumper on the fateful night.

The accused, along with two accomplices, including a minor boy, were engaged in a binge session, during which a quarrel ensued, and the trio mounted a brutal assault on the deceased by repeatedly banging his head on a wall and later smashing his head with a boulder and a stone. The trio also alleged that the deceased had stolen Rs.5,000 from the pocket of the minor boy.

While the third accused is already lodged in jail in connection with a vehicle theft case, the minor will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board. Further investigations are ongoing.