The Mumbai Police Crime Branch, with the help of forensic reports, CCTV footage, and event reconstruction, has ruled out any foul play in the death of Atharva Shinde, the son of a police officer.
Atharva (20), the son of Narendra Shinde, an inspector with the Economic Offences Wing, was found dead in Aarey Colony on May 9. The case, which was first registered with the Aarey police, was transferred to the Crime Branch on Mr. Shinde’s request.
According to sources, investigations so far indicate Atharva’s death was caused due to extreme lack of food and water, coupled with consumption of narcotics.
There had initially been allegations of foul play after several external injuries were found on Atharva’s body, including some to his private parts.
“All of Atharva’s injuries can be explained by his own actions in the hours before his death. After he left the Bungalow 212 in Aarey Colony, where he was attending a birthday party, he fell down a steep slope, which led to his injuries. We have tracked all his movement after he left the bungalow through CCTV cameras,” senior police inspector Chimaji Adhav, Unit XI, said.
According to Mr. Adhav, CCTV cameras show him leaving the bungalow at 7:22 a.m. on May 8 and taking an autorickshaw. “We have quizzed the autorickshaw driver, who said he dropped Atharva off less than five minutes after he got in, as he wasn’t sure Atharva would be able to pay the fare. We have also found several eyewitnesses who have said that he had a wavering gait, but was fine otherwise.”
The footage shows Atharva losing his balance around half a kilometre away from the bungalow. “It is while tumbling down this slope that Atharva sustained injuries to his chest because he crashed into a tree branch. While reconstructing the sequence of events, we walked down this same slope and tripped several times despite having the support of a rope,” Mr. Adhav said.
The police have also made inquiries with the watchman at Bungalow 31, behind which Atharva’s body was found. He told the police that he had seen Atharva stumbling past on May 8, and even asked him if he needed help, which Atharva is said to have refused. The same watchman saw Atharva lying near a lake behind the bungalow on the morning of May 9.
“Bungalow 31 was on raised ground so we can see Atharva at the spot in a bird’s eye view camera on the building’s premises. He is seen vomiting and behaving as if he were hallucinating, and at one point he took his pants off, which could explain the injuries to his private parts,” Mr. Adhav said.
The Crime Branch is awaiting some more forensic reports. However, reports received till now have confirmed a complete absence of food and water in his system, which is now believed to be the cause of death, Mr. Adhav said, adding no indications of foul play have come to light.
