In a horrific double murder case in Talwade near Pune, a 30-year-old woman and a 55-year-old man were brutally bludgeoned to death with stones in the early hours of Wednesday, June 25. The accused, a labor contractor and the woman's second lover, has confessed to the crime. The victims were identified as Mangala Suraj Tembhare (30), originally from Amravati, and Jaganath Pundlik Sarode (55), originally from Akola. The accused, Dattatray Laxman Sable (49), a resident of Chikhali and originally from Rashin village in Karjat, Ahilyanagar, was taken into custody by Dehuroad Police shortly after the crime.
According to Dehuroad Police Inspector Vikram Bansode, all three—Mangala, Jaganath, and Dattatray—lived in the Talwade area and were connected through labor work. While Mangala and Jaganath worked as daily wage laborers, Dattatray operated as a labor contractor in the same locality. Mangala was allegedly involved in extramarital affairs with both men, a fact that caused growing tension between them. When Dattatray learned of Mangala's romantic involvement with Jaganath, he was enraged. On the night of the murder, Mangala and Jaganath were seen drinking together, which likely triggered Dattatray’s violent reaction.
Around midnight, driven by jealousy and anger, Dattatray attacked both Mangala and Jaganath using large stones, killing them on the spot. The murder occurred at an open ground near a construction site owned by Amarjeet Jedhe in Talwade. After committing the gruesome act, Dattatray left the blood-soaked bodies just ten feet apart in the field. At around 2 AM, he went to Mangala’s house and informed her husband, Suraj Tembhare, that Mangala and Jaganath were lying in a pool of blood in a semi-nude state. Suraj rushed to the scene and immediately informed the police.
Police reached the crime scene promptly and began investigating. Suspecting Dattatray, officers started a manhunt and learned he was trying to escape to his native village. Within an hour, police managed to track and arrest him from Chikhali. During interrogation, he confessed to the double murder. Senior officers, including Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Gaikwad, Assistant Commissioner of Police Swapna Gore, and ACP Balasaheb Kopnar, visited the crime site to supervise the investigation. Police have confirmed that Dattatray was driven by intense jealousy and rage upon seeing Mangala and Jaganath together once again that night.
Further investigation revealed that Mangala had been married twice. Her first husband passed away in 2018, after which she married Suraj Tembhare. She had two sons—one lived with her in Talwade, while the other stayed with her mother in Amravati. Mangala’s relationship with Jaganath developed while working as a laborer, and later she became romantically involved with Dattatray as well. Mangala and Jaganath frequently consumed alcohol together. On the night of the murder, when Suraj asked her to return home, she refused. Even her son Anil tried to bring her home, but she did not leave Jaganath’s company.
Police stated that this behavior had become a pattern, which is why Suraj and his son eventually went to sleep, not expecting what would happen next. In the middle of the night, Dattatray discovered Mangala and Jaganath in an intimate position and lost control. Fueled by emotions and betrayal, he picked up stones and killed them both in a fit of rage. This double murder has shocked the residents of Talwade, revealing how a complicated web of relationships, jealousy, and alcohol consumption ended in a brutal tragedy. The accused is now in police custody, and further legal proceedings are underway.