Business Partner Booked for Murder After Body Found in Bharuch Canal
In a shocking incident, the body of a 39-year-old man was discovered stuffed inside a plastic bag in a canal along the road between Rahad and Vachhnad villages in the Vagra police station area of Bharuch district on Wednesday evening. The victim's hands and legs were tied with ropes, leading police to immediately register a murder case.
Victim Identified as Krunal Patel
The deceased has been identified as Krunal Patel, a resident of Jyoti Nagar on Zadeshwar Road in Bharuch. Police have booked Munatzir Patel, the victim's business partner and a resident of Vorasamani village in Vagra, in connection with the murder.
Financial Disputes Over Joint Spa Business
According to the police complaint, Krunal and Munatzir were friends who had been jointly operating a spa business for the past eight months. However, serious disputes had reportedly emerged between them over the last three to four months regarding financial matters and profit sharing arrangements. The two partners had also been planning to sell their business venture.
How the Crime Unfolded
On Tuesday, the accused allegedly contacted Krunal under the pretext of collecting money from a party involved in the spa sale transaction. Munatzir reportedly asked Krunal to get into his car. Police suspect that he then took the victim to a deserted location, where he strangled him with a nylon rope.
In what appears to be an attempt to destroy evidence, the perpetrator then:
- Tied the victim's hands and legs with ropes
- Placed the body inside a plastic bag
- Dumped the remains in the canal
Police Investigation and Recovery
When Krunal failed to return home and his mobile phone remained switched off, his concerned family approached the Bharuch C Division police station and filed a missing person's complaint on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Vagra police recovered the body from the canal and began cross-checking missing person reports across the district.
After tracing the missing person's report, authorities called family members to identify the body. Police Inspector H B Gohil confirmed that strangulation marks were clearly visible on the victim's neck.
"We suspect that the accused strangled him with a nylon rope," stated Inspector Gohil. "Special teams have been formed to arrest Munatzir Patel. We are also thoroughly investigating whether any other individuals were involved in this crime."
The investigation continues as police work to apprehend the accused and uncover the complete sequence of events leading to this tragic outcome of what began as a business partnership between friends.
