Navi Mumbai: Mangaon police on Wednesday arrested a 34-year-old man in a murder case within 24 hours after the body of a 15-year-old girl from Mumbai was found in a hilly forest area in Raigad district. The victim, identified as Nidhi Utekar, was strangled to death, according to police, who are yet to confirm the motive behind the murder.
Preliminary Investigation
The preliminary post-mortem report has ruled out sexual assault, but police are awaiting the forensic report for further details. Both the alleged accused, Shubham Utekar, and the deceased resided in Vile Parle and hailed from Palasgaon village in Mangaon.
Background of the Case
Police said Nidhi, who had cleared her class IX exams, had arrived at her hometown with her parents and brother a few days ago. Shubham, who is married, had also recently come to his village. According to police, Nidhi was last spotted on Monday evening talking to someone on her father’s phone. Authorities suspect she was speaking with Shubham but are yet to verify this.
On Wednesday, locals discovered a girl’s body in the forest area and alerted the police. Officers contacted Nidhi’s father, who had filed a missing person’s complaint, and he identified the body as his daughter.
Arrest and Evidence
Police inspector Sanjay Bangar formed four police teams to trace the accused and zeroed in on Shubham. The post-mortem examination conducted at the sub-district hospital in Mangaon confirmed death by strangulation, referring to marks on the neck. Additionally, four deep injuries on the head indicated the use of sharp weapons to commit the crime, said sources.
The investigation is ongoing, and police are working to establish the exact sequence of events leading to the murder.
