The APMC police arrested a 32-year-old porter (Hamal) from Gonda in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly murdering a 42-year-old vegetable trader last week in APMC’s vegetable market. The deceased used to shout at the porter for drinking alcohol and this did not go well with the accused and he hit the trader with a paver block at his head and fled, said police.
On August 14, the body of the vegetable trader identified as Ramayan Lalsa alias Gurudev was found on the first floor of Gala number D 551.
Despite there being no clue and even the mobile phone and cash being taken away by the accused, the police worked hard on collecting details from CCTV footage, talking to people, and technical analysis. It was learned that the accused porter identified as Arun Kumar RamBhujarat Bharti was also staying on the first floor of the gala occasionally. A team was formed and sent to Uttar Pradesh to trace him.
Vivek Pansare, DCP, zone 1 said that the arrested accused has admitted to having murdered the victim after repeated objections to his drinking habit. “Bharati hit Gurudev with a paver block on the midnight of 13 and 14 August. Because of his grudge against Gurudev, he murder him,” said Pansare.
The accused Bharati was presented before a magistrate in Vashi court where he was sent to police custody till August 24.
Gurudev had taken the Gala on rent along with one more trader identified as Sanjay Gupta from Lalji Baisya, 68, a resident of Sanpada in January 2022.
Normally, he used to come down from the first floor around 4.30 am for vegetable trade. On August 14, he did not come down till afternoon and when the people checked, he was found lying unconscious. When he was taken to NMMC hospital, he was declared dead on arrival. A case of murder under section 302 of IPC was registered at APMC police station.
