Pune: A 24-year-old man was allegedly strangled to death by his roommate over suspicions of an illicit relationship in Pune district's Shikrapur. Police said the accused later took the help of his 19-year-old wife to dispose of the body by stuffing it into a sack and abandoning it in a secluded area. The couple has been arrested.
The victim, identified as Gaurav alias Akshay Ashok Waikar (24), a native of Theur in Haveli taluka, was found dead inside a sack in bushes at an open ground in Karanjenagar, Shikrapur, on Sunday. The gruesome discovery triggered an intensive police investigation to establish the victim's identity.
Using social media inputs and local intelligence, police identified the deceased and traced his movements. Investigators found that Waikar had been sharing a rented room in Karanjenagar with his friend, Mukesh Vitthal Sonawane, and Sonawane's wife, Janhavi Anil Patole.
During the investigation, police found that Sonawane had been frequently quarrelling with Waikar over suspicions of an alleged illicit relationship. Police suspect the dispute escalated, prompting Sonawane to allegedly strangle Waikar to death.
According to police, after the murder, Sonawane allegedly sought his wife's assistance in concealing the crime. The duo allegedly packed the body into a sack and dumped it in an isolated area in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Based on a complaint lodged by the victim's mother, Kanchan Ashok Waikar, Shikrapur Police registered a murder case and arrested both accused. Further investigation is underway to establish the exact sequence of events and recover additional evidence.
