While the main accused in the kidnap and murder of a man from Nerul by his gang members is still missing, a fourth arrest was made in the case earlier this week.
A member of the Deshmukh gang, Sachin Garje (32), went missing on September 14. Around 9.30 p.m., he had told his family that he was going to meet some friends, but did not return. His family then filed a missing person’s complaint with the Nerul police, who discovered that Garje had been kidnapped, assaulted and shot dead by his own gang members.
The leader of the gang, Vicky Deshmukh, who was also the mastermind behind the murder, and six others are still at large. Meanwhile, Tushar Koli, whose boat was used to throw Garje’s body into the sea, was arrested on Wednesday.
“After killing Garje, the accused took his body on the boat into the sea near Gavhan village and threw it. However, the next day it surfaced at the shore so they buried it. When the mud above the pit was washed off by the waves and the body was exposed again, the gang burnt it. While they immersed most of the residue after burning, in the water, we were able to collect some of them from the spot and have sent it for a forensic test,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Pravinkumar Patil said.
Brewing rivalry
Garje was a close aide of Mr. Deshmukh and it is suspected that their relations soured after the deceased started growing as a goon.
Three other members of the gang, Vikrant Chandrakant Koli (22), Narayan Ramchandra Pawale (27) and Rupesh Kamlakar Jhirale (37,) were arrested earlier. The four arrested gang members have been remanded in custody till Monday.
