Pune: A 75-year-old woman was found dead under mysterious circumstances at her residence in Shankar Maharaj Vasahat in Dhankawadi on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Kusum Panhale (75), who lived alone and ran a small flower business in the area.
According to police reports, Panhale had been suffering from health issues for the last two days and had not eaten anything since Thursday because of this.
On Friday morning, when neighbours heard no sound from her house, they pushed open the door and found it unlocked.
They initially assumed she was sleeping, but when she did not respond for a long time, they informed her daughter. Her daughter and grandson rushed to the spot and immediately contacted the police.
Panhale was taken to Sassoon General Hospital, where doctors declared her dead before treatment. The exact cause of death remains unknown, and doctors have preserved the viscera for forensic analysis.
Her daughter has expressed suspicion of theft, claiming that her mother was wearing a 3.5 tola gold chain, which is now missing, along with ₹20,000 to ₹25,000 in cash kept at home.
Senior Police Inspector Vitthal Pawar, in charge of the Sahakar Nagar Police Station, said that both the Crime Branch and the forensic team inspected the spot but found nothing suspicious. CCTV footage from Thursday showed the elderly woman leaving the house with a white cloth tied around her neck, making it unclear whether she was wearing the gold chain at that time.
“The cause of death will be confirmed after the viscera report is received. For now, an Accidental Death Report (ADR) has been registered,” Pawar said.
Police are continuing to verify the theft claims and are examining nearby CCTV footage for further clues.
