Thane police have arrested two men in connection with the double murder of an elderly couple found dead in their Manpada residence on Jan. 4.
Nisar Ahmed Shaikh, 27, and Rohit Suresh Uttekar, a ward boy at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa, were arrested on Feb. 15 in connection with the killings at Dosti Imperia. Both have been remanded to police custody until Feb. 20.
The victims, Shamsher Singh, 68, and his wife, Mina Singh, 65, were found dead on separate beds with signs of strangulation on Jan. 4, 2023. Their son, Sudhir Singh, filed a police complaint alleging murder.
Two teams from the Thane Police Station's Crime Investigation Unit reviewed CCTV footage, interviewed residents, and analyzed the victims' phones. The investigation revealed no outsiders entered the building on the day of the crime, leading police to suspect someone residing within the complex.
Undercover officers spent 25 days gathering information, identifying Shaikh and Uttekar as residents of the same complex. Shaikh lived on the 17th floor of Building 2, while Uttekar resided on the 16th floor of Building 1.
During questioning, the accused confessed to entering the apartment through a bathroom window, strangling the couple, and stealing their phones, jewelry, and earrings. The stolen items were recovered.
Police believe the motive was robbery, but the investigation is ongoing. The accused face charges of murder, theft, and housebreaking.