The city police traced and nabbed the three suspects, accused of gang-raping and brutally murdering the 32-year-old woman near the airport wall in the Chikalthana area on Sunday evening. within 24 hours of the crime.
After a watch was found at the murder scene, a dog squad was brought in to assist with the investigation. The dogs followed the scent to a location in the Chikalthana area called Bakal Vasti, where the three suspects were residing. When the police reached the location, they saw Rahul Jadhav, who appeared to be in a hurry to leave. The police noticed scratches on his hand, which aroused their suspicion.
The victim's son discovered a woman's body near the airport wall while he was returning home. He informed his family members about it, but they did not believe him. He then informed his uncle, who, along with some other people, went to the spot and identified the woman as the victim's mother.
The accused, Rahul Jadhav, reportedly had a history of wandering in the area to commit thefts. On one occasion, he encountered the victim as she was returning home from church and verbally abused her, causing her to flee. Following this incident, Jadhav allegedly continued to frequently pursue and harass the victim, according to her relatives.
One of the three suspects, Ravi Gaikwad, is a serious criminal who was ordered to leave the district on June 7, 2021. He has been accused in about 32 cases of theft, robbery, and burglary at different police stations. However, he returned to the city and allegedly committed this brutal crime.
PI Gautam Patare produced all three accused before the court on Monday, and the court remanded them to police custody until April 8.