A Rajkot couple has been arrested for allegedly murdering the woman's lover and discarding his body in a forested area near Naranka village in Kotda Sangani taluka, police confirmed on Sunday.
Discovery of the Body
The crime came to light on Saturday when a farmer spotted the corpse of an unidentified man lying alongside a road in the forest. The victim's hands and feet were bound with rope, and he suffered severe neck injuries inflicted by a sharp weapon.
Investigation and Arrests
Rajkot Rural police, along with the Local Crime Branch (LCB), launched an investigation. Rajkot Superintendent of Police (Rural) Vijay Singh Gurjar stated that CCTV footage and technical surveillance led investigators to a suspicious white car seen near the crime scene. The vehicle was traced to 46-year-old Surendra Prasad, a native of Maharajganj district in Uttar Pradesh, currently residing in Gundasara village near Ribda railway station. During interrogation, Surendra and his wife Reeta allegedly confessed to the crime.
Motive and Sequence of Events
According to investigators, the victim, identified as 45-year-old rickshaw driver Vijaydas Dudhrejiya, had been in a relationship with Reeta for nearly two years. Surendra was aware of the affair and frequently objected, even moving residences to distance his wife from the victim. However, Vijaydas allegedly continued to contact her, escalating tensions.
The situation turned deadly on the night of May 8 when Surendra found Reeta speaking to Vijaydas on the phone. After a heated argument, the couple allegedly conspired to kill him. Reeta then called Vijaydas, claiming her husband was away, and asked him to visit around 2:30 am. When Vijaydas arrived, Surendra allegedly attacked him with a steel pipe. The couple then bound his hands and feet, placed him in the trunk of their car, and drove to the Naranka forest area.
Investigators allege that Vijaydas was subsequently killed with an axe blow to the neck before his body was dumped beside the road.
Recovery of Evidence
LCB Police Inspector J P Raw said that the steel pipe, axe, and car allegedly used in the crime were recovered. The accused couple has been handed over to Kotda Sangani police for further investigation.
Police noted that Vijaydas, a resident of Gundasara village, had been living separately from his wife for several years.
