The Thane crime branch has claimed to have solved a murder case within 10 hours after an unidentified body was recovered from Hiranandani Estate, a plush locality in the area. Police have identified the victim as Govind Banarasi, a construction worker from Waghbill area, and arrested his friend Raju Chavhan for the murder on Tuesday afternoon. According to police, the mutilated body was recovered by Kasarwadavli police on Monday night inside the residential estate. “The body had injury marks on the head, face, torso and limbs, apparently made with an axe. We identified the deceased as Govind Banarasi. While trying to locate his relatives and friends, we managed to detain Raju Chavhan, Banarasi’s friend and neighbour at Waghbil village,” the officer said. Police said that Chavhan had been planning to kill Banarasi for sometime. “He was angry with Banarasi over a fight they had some months ago. On Monday, he convinced Banarasi to drink with him,” the officer said, adding that once Banarasi was inebriated, Chavhan took him to a secluded spot inside the estate and attacked him with an axe, he had bought along with him. “Chavhan was trying to leave town when we nabbed him. He was an addict and had recently come out of rehab,” a senior officer said.
