Thane: The Thane police have arrested four accused who allegedly killed a 42-year-old jeweler from Thane. The police after the arrest found it to be a case of robbery and have seized 2 kilogram silver worth Rs 1.24 lakh from the accused. The police have also seized a revolver and country made pistol used to threaten the jeweler.
The deceased, Bharat Hastimal Jain, 40, was a resident of Neelkanth Society in Thane West. On August 15, his wife Seema had approached the Naupada police station and filed a missing complaint. A case of kidnapping was registered on August 17 but changed to murder after Jain’s body was found on August 20. Jain was kidnapped on August 14, night when he was returning back home. However, a kidnapping and murder case was registered an investigation was started.
The Naupada police formed two different teams and started scrutinizing the CCTV footage nearby the shop and building of Jain. "During the search we found a suspicious car roaming around. The car was traced to Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai owned by Subhash Baburao Surve, 39. Surve was taken into custody and after interrogation and technical evidence he revealed the name of Atul Jagdish Prasad Mishra, 25, and Nilesh Shankar Bhoir, 35. The police learnt some 18 months ago Atul Mishra was working as a watchman in Jain's society. He was aware that Jain owns a jeweler shop and his timing to return back home," said a police officer from Naupada police station.
The police said accordingly the three made a plan to kidnap jain. "On August 14, at around 10:30pm the trio found Bharat Jain walking towards his home near Makhmali Talao, They threatened him with a revolver and took him towards Mumbai-Nashik highway. Jain identified Atul Mishra, so getting scared of being caught they strangled Jain to death and after tying his hands and leg with rope throwed his body near Kalwa creek. Later, they took the jewelry shop keys from Jain pocket and went to B. K jewelry shop and robbed 2 kg silver ornaments," said a police officer.
The police during investigation found Nilesh and Atul went to Kalyan and further going through coimbatore to Orissa to Bihar and will reach Uttar Pradesh. "A team headed by police sub-inspector Vinod Labade reached UP and with the help of local police arrested the two accused. Balvant Maruti Cholekar 36, Kalyan resident was also arrested for giving the accused a stay and helping them run from the city," said Avinash Ambure, deputy commissioner of police, Zone 1, Thane city.
Ravindra Kshirsagar, senior police inspector, Naupada police station said we have arrested four accused and have seized the silver ornaments, car and country made pistol and a revolver used in the crime.
