Aurangabad, June 5.
The partially burnt dead body of a 75-year-old woman was found at a house in Bidkin on June 2.
In the beginning, the rural police felt that it may be an accident. However, police discovered, within 72 hours, that the woman was murdered by a known person for Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh. Local Crime Branch (LCB) and Bidkin Police arrested the accused.
The deceased has been identified as Halimabi Wazir Shaikh (Bidkin) while the accused is Shaikh Raju Shaikh Ishaq (45, Savkheda, Gangapur). Halimabi was found murdered in her house on Thursday. Her bed and other items too were burnt. One of the legs of her chair which was used by the deceased was found broken.
In the preliminary findings, police felt that the woman may have died due to injuries after she slipped from the chair and fell on an iron cupboard. Superintendent of police Manish Kalwania visited the spot and found the incident suspicious.
SP Manish Kalwania directed the LCB and Bidkin Police Station to probe the case in detail.
The police personnel examined Closed Circuit TV cameras footage and collected other information. On learning about Shaikh Raju, police detained him.
Initially, Raju gave evasive replies. When he was grilled, he confessed to committing the murder.
Police inspector of LCB Rameshwar Renge, assistant police inspector of Bidkin Santosh Mane, PSI Vijay Jadhav and Pradeep Thube carried out the action.
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Modus operandi of murder
Raju who was a friend of Halimabi’s son used to visit her house frequently.
He used to ask her for money frequently. She refused to lend him money.
However, covering his face Raju parked his two-wheeler (MH-20-EQ-2667) on the premises of a hospital and went to Halimabi’s house.
Again, he demanded money on credit but she refused. He asked the woman to give her ornaments for selling and he would buy new ornaments for her later. She angered him. Angry Raju picked up a pestle and hit on her head several times. She died on the spot.
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Accused fled with ornaments
The accused set on fire bed and other items to destroy the evidence. He broke the chair and took away her gold ornaments including bangles, earrings, and locket. During interrogation, he revealed that he had made changes in his two-wheelers so that no doubt about him.