Lokmat News Network
Sillod:
Tukaram Madhavrao Gawhane (55), a progressive farmer and grain merchant from Bodwad in Sillod, was brutally murdered after being kidnapped for a ransom demand of Rs 1 crore. When the ransom money did not arrive on time, the enraged accused allegedly beat Gawhane to death and dumped his body in the Chalisgaon Ghat. Ajanta Police have arrested five accused in connection with this incident.
While returning from Undangaon on Saturday evening after collecting payment for maize, Gawhane was stopped on the Undangaon–Bodwad road by the accused. They first robbed him of Rs 1 lakh and, driven by greed for more money, abducted him in a car. The accused then called Gawhane’s son and demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore.
How the police cracked the case
On Sunday afternoon, the Gawhane family lodged a complaint at the Ajanta Police Station. The accused kept changing the location for the ransom handover. Police sub-inspector Amol Dhakne, constable Dhammadeep Kakde and the Local Crime Branch traced the accused through technical investigation by tracking their mobile phone locations. At 9 pm on Sunday, the accused told the family “We don’t want the money” and switched off their phone. However, the police swiftly set up a trap at a toll plaza on the Samruddhi Expressway and detained four of the accused from the car.
Five arrested
Those arrested include Sachin Bankar (25), Vaibhav Rangote (23), Ajinath Sapkal (22) and Vishal Kharat (23). The fifth accused, Deepak Jadhav (25), was providing information about police movements to the others and has also been arrested. Investigation has revealed that as the ransom was not received on time, the accused killed Gawhane and dumped his body hands and feet tied in Chalisgaon Ghat. A country-made pistol and knife were seized from them, and the court has remanded them to police custody for four days.