Mumbai Police cracked the gruesome VP Road murder case within just 48 hours and arrested the absconding accused, Suraj Sanjay Mandal, from Bihar. Mandal had allegedly murdered his co-worker, Ramesh Hajaji Chaudhary (29), and fled from Mumbai. Swift action, technical investigation and coordinated efforts by multiple police teams helped trace and nab the accused.
According to complainant Dhaval Mukesh Sanghvi (35), the incident took place inside the ground-floor unit of MKM Profiles between 10 pm on 16 November and 7 am on 17 November. Suraj Mandal allegedly strangled Ramesh to death in the storeroom, first attacking him with a wooden stool, then a fire extinguisher cylinder, and finally using a nylon rope to tighten around his neck.
Taking serious note of the murder, DCP (Zone 2) Mohit Kumar Garg formed five special teams comprising officers from VP Road, LT Marg, Gamdevi, Pydhonie and DB Marg police stations. CCTV footage showed the accused taking a taxi towards Kurla. His mobile phone’s last location was detected near Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), strengthening suspicion that he was fleeing towards Bihar.
A team led by PSI Shyamrao Watsar immediately proceeded to Bihar. The search began in Madhubani district, but the accused could not be traced initially. However, on 19 November, Suraj’s mobile phone was switched on, and the location was tracked to Patna. The team rushed from Darbhanga to Patna and launched an intensive search in crowded areas.
At Khagaul Road, officers noticed a suspicious person. Upon verification, he was confirmed to be Suraj Mandal. The accused attempted to run to avoid arrest, but police apprehended him swiftly. After completing formal procedures, he was brought back to Mumbai and placed under arrest. Further investigation is underway.