Mumbai: The mysterious death of Vashi-based software developer Shilvant Sonkatle, 26, whose body was found in the Krishna river near Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh, will be jointly investigated by the Navi Mumbai and Andhra Pradesh police.
Senior Navi Mumbai Police officers said both murder and suicide angles will be probed as the cause of death is unclear in the post-mortem report. Sonkatle, an MCA graduate from Solapur, was employed with Limra Technosys Pvt. Ltd. in Vashi as a software developer. He was reported missing by his flatmates on Monday, and a case of kidnapping was registered at Vashi police station safter Sonkatle’s friend in Solapur received a message saying he had been kidnapped. On Thursday evening, his body was found in the river near Vijaywada.
PI Nitin Gite, Vashi police station, said, “Doctors in Vijaywada have reserved their opinion and will be sending the viscera for forensic tests. There were no strangulation marks or other physical injuries that could indicate murder. Till we know how he died, we’ll focus on both probablities: kidnap-murder and suicide.” .
Sonkatle had come to Navi Mumbai nine months ago to join the firm, after working in Pune and Solapur. His parents are farmers in Solapur, and he as three siblings: two sisters and a brother.
