In a significant breakthrough, the Thane police successfully solved a murder case that had initially baffled investigators due to the absence of any concrete evidence. In a chilling crime, 27-year-old Rahul Prajapati was brutally murdered by his acquaintance, Ramesh alias Bala Mali, 28, after a heated argument. Mali then dumped Rahul’s body at the base of a hill near Navjeevan Chawl in Kalwa East to cover up the crime. The body was discovered on October 2, 2024, sparking a swift police investigation.
Rahul had been missing since the night of October 1, and his father, Umeshkumar Prajapati, filed a complaint when his son did not return home. The police launched an immediate investigation, but with no clear evidence or witnesses, it initially appeared challenging. However, investigators received a crucial lead from a witness who spotted Rahul near the Parsik Tunnel on the night of the murder.
The Thane police, led by Senior Inspector Ashok Utekar, quickly reviewed CCTV footage from the area. This footage showed Rahul walking with Mali shortly before the time of his death. Using this evidence, the police tracked down and arrested Mali, a resident of Bhaskarnagar, Kalwa East.
Initially, Mali provided evasive answers during police interrogation. However, after further questioning, he confessed to the crime, revealing that a personal dispute with Rahul had escalated into a violent altercation. In a fit of rage, Mali assaulted Rahul, ultimately suffocating him to death by pressing his knee against the victim’s neck and covering his mouth and nose.
The police are still investigating to uncover more details about the murder and the events leading up to it.