The Bazarpeth police have arrested a Kalyan resident and his friend for stabbing the former’s wife to death in broad daylight on Friday.
According to the police, the incident occurred in the APMC market when the deceased, Sanam Karotia (25), who was on her scooter, was attacked by the two bike-borne men. Eyewitnesses informed the police and rushed her to a local hospital, where she was declared dead before admission.
“The witnesses told us that when the victim’s scooter slowed down, the men also slowed down, after which the pillion rider stabbed her repeatedly. He then got onto the bike and both of them sped away. We examined the victim’s cell phone and saw pictures of her with a man. While we were conducting inquires at the crime scene, the same man called her,” Vivek Pansare, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone III), Thane police, said.
The police then asked the man, identified as Karan Dhakan, to meet them and questioned him and rumours started doing the rounds that he had been arrested for the murder.
By Friday night, however, the police ascertained that Mr. Dhakan had nothing to do with the crime.
“Sanam had separated from her husband Sachin Karotia and was staying with Mr. Dhakan. On Friday afternoon, Mr. Karotia’s brother, who has been booked in a criminal case, had to appear in Kalyan court and Sanam went there at her sister-in-law’s request. Mr. Karotia and she had an argument on the court premises, where she told him that he was no good, and that she would have to help his brother, after which she left on her scooter,” Mr. Pansare said.
A furious Mr. Karotia followed Sanam, riding pillon on his friend Vinod Thakur’s bike. When Sanam noticed them and called Mr. Dhakan, he told her to go to the APMC market, saying that they would not attempt to harm her in a crowded place. However, Mr. Karotia still stabbed her and fled the scene, officers said.
Mr. Karotia, who was hiding at a friend’s house, was arrested after his father informed the police. Based on the results of his questioning, Mr. Thakur was also arrested. The duo has been charged with murder under the Indian Penal Code and remanded in police custody for six days after being produced in court.
“We tried tracking Mr. Karotia’s phone but were only able to trace it till Dadar, after which it had been switched off. We sent teams to various railway stations as we suspected that he would go to his native Delhi. However, in the early hours of Saturday, we received word that he was hiding at a friend’s place. The friend informed Mr. Karotia’s father who informed us, and we picked him up,” Mr. Pansare said.
Mr. Thakur was then picked up based on the results of Mr. Karotia’s questioning and both of them have been charged them with murder under the Indian Penal Code. After being produced in court on Saturday, the duo were remanded in police custody for six days.
“We suspect that the murder was pre-planned as Mr. Karotia was already carrying a dagger with him when he left for the court. We have recovered the dagger from him,” Mr. Pansare said.
