The crime branch unit (Zone II), attached to the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police, claimed to have solved a blind murder case of a youth whose body was found in a mutilated condition, with his head crushed, from an isolated area in the Bafane region of Naigaon in Vasai on November 22.
Accidental death report at Naigaon police station
Initially, an accidental death report (ADR) under Section 174 of the CrPC was registered at the Naigaon police station. However, post-mortem reports confirmed that the deceased, aged between 25 to 30 years, had suffered serious injuries to his head, indicating a murderous assault. Sensing the seriousness of the case, the crime branch team was roped in to conduct investigations.
"Since the body was almost reduced to a skeleton, it was a daunting task to ascertain the identity of the deceased. We 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," said Police Inspector Shahuraj Ranaware. The efforts were successful as the family members of the deceased identified the clothes, and his identity was established as Lavesh Ramesh Mali (23), a resident of Kaman village who had been missing since November 8.
Solving the Blind Murder Case
After learning that the deceased was addicted to alcohol, the team activated its informer network to gather information about his colleagues who participated in the drinking sessions. Based on inputs and testimony given by an eyewitness, the police arrested a 30-year-old for his involvement in the crime. Investigations revealed that the deceased was driving the auto-rickshaw belonging to the accused, which he rammed into a stationary dumper on the fateful night. The accused, along with two accomplices, including a minor boy, were involved in a binge session, during which a quarrel ensued. 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.
The trio also alleged that the deceased had stolen Rs.5,000 from the pocket of the minor boy. "While the minor boy is still on the run, the third accused is already in jail in connection with a vehicle theft case. We will soon take his transit custody for further investigations," added Ranawre. Meanwhile, the ADR has been converted into an offense under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC. Police Inspector Sagar Tilekar is conducting further investigations.
