The Ulwe police have arrested a 35-year-old woman and an auto-rickshaw driver while detaining her 16-year-old son for the murder of her allegedly abusive husband. The accused attempted to stage the crime as a road accident, while a former police constable involved in the conspiracy remains at large.
The suspects include Reshma Sachin More, her minor son, auto driver Prathamesh Mhatre (36), and dismissed constable Rohit Temkar (35). According to police, Reshma had endured 17 years of physical and mental abuse from her husband, Sachin Devji More (41), and was desperate to escape. She confided in Temkar, who allegedly suggested hiring a contract killer. However, due to financial constraints, she decided to carry out the murder herself.
Temkar reportedly provided Reshma with sedative pills to drug her husband. She initially planned to act on February 13 but hesitated. On February 22, she finally executed the plan—mixing the pills into bitter gourd juice. After Sachin became drowsy, she, along with Mhatre and her son, took him to a hospital in an auto-rickshaw. However, instead of seeking medical help, they strangled him with a dupatta and dumped his body near the Navi Mumbai Airport service road, attempting to make it look like an accident.
The next day, police discovered the body on the Wahal Creek Bridge. A photograph was circulated among officers to identify the deceased, and a case of accidental death was initially registered.
On February 26, under pressure from relatives, Reshma filed a missing person report, claiming that Sachin had left the auto-rickshaw after an argument. However, investigators found her behavior suspicious, as she showed little concern for his whereabouts. By then, police had already identified the body.
When police questioned Mhatre, he confessed, leading to Reshma’s interrogation, which revealed chilling details. She had taken her unconscious husband on a long drive through Ulwe, Nerul, Belapur, Kalamboli, Karanjade, and JNPT. Upon reaching JNPT, she attempted to push him in front of a heavy vehicle but failed. Realising he was still breathing, she smothered him with her hands before disposing of the body by pushing it off the service road.
Police are now on the lookout for the absconding ex-constable Rohit Temkar as further investigations continue.