Former Government College HoD Murdered in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Body Exhumed from Forest Pit
In a shocking development in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the body of Rajabhau Subharao Londhe, a 60-year-old former head of department at a government engineering college, was traced and exhumed on Sunday afternoon from a pit in a forested area of Gevrai Tanda in rural Sambhajinagar. Londhe had been reported missing since February 5, and the discovery has unveiled a grim tale of premeditated murder linked to a financial dispute.
Victim Found with Bullet Injury, Autopsy Underway
Police officials confirmed that a bullet injury was found on the victim's head, strongly indicating he was shot dead before being buried. The body was promptly sent to the Government Medical College and Hospital for an autopsy, which continued late into Sunday night. Londhe, a resident of Abhirika Apartment in Jyotinagar, Osmanpura, was a respected academic figure in the community.
Three Suspects Arrested in Connection with the Crime
The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city crime branch has arrested three individuals in connection with the murder: Vishal Vikas Rathod (24), Aakash Vinod Pawar (32), and Karan Vilas Ade (22), all residents of Gevrai Tanda. Authorities are also in the process of impounding a car and a firearm believed to have been used in the commission of the crime.
Pre-Planned Murder Uncovered Through Investigation
Police Commissioner Pravin Pawar provided chilling details, stating, "Our investigation so far has revealed that the murder was a pre-planned crime. The key suspect had engaged a JCB operator to dig two pits nearly 200 meters apart at Gevrai Tanda, claiming they were searching for hidden treasure. These pits were dug almost three days before the murder." This revelation points to a meticulously orchestrated plot.
Investment in Fake Reality Show Led to Fatal Dispute
Preliminary investigations indicate that Rathod frequently met and partied with Londhe after convincing him to invest money in a reality show that the trio claimed to be producing. The victim had invested approximately Rs 40 to 50 lakh and had been pressuring the suspects to release the show promptly. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ratnakar Navale explained that the suspects hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Londhe after he began demanding his money back.
Detailed Account of the Murder Night
On the night of February 5, Rathod, along with his brother-in-law Aakash Pawar, allegedly took Londhe to a farmhouse in Daulatabad for a party where they consumed liquor. "They left the farmhouse in the early hours of February 6 and stopped their car near a railway bridge in the Sajapur area. The victim was asked to step out of the vehicle, following which the main accused allegedly shot him in the head with a pistol," Navale detailed. The accused then drove around the city, briefly stopping near Cigma Hospital around 5 a.m. to create a false impression that Londhe had been dropped there, before transporting the body to Gevrai Tanda for burial in one of the pre-dug pits.
Investigation Gains Momentum After Family's Suspicion
The investigation accelerated after Londhe's relatives met with Police Commissioner Pravin Pawar on March 12, expressing deep suspicion over the circumstances of his disappearance. Police Inspector (Crime) Gajanan Kalyankar noted, "Technical analysis and CCTV footage from more than 100 cameras contradicted the accused's claim that they had dropped the victim near the hospital. The accused even tried to mislead the investigation by first carrying the victim's cellphone to Pune and keeping a status in incorrect English that he should not be disturbed. We found that the victim had good command over the language and such grammatical errors could not have been from him."
Based on disclosures made during interrogation, the police conducted a panchnama and exhumed the body on Sunday, bringing this harrowing case to light. The community remains in shock as authorities continue to piece together the full extent of this tragic event.
