Kurar murders planned meticulously: Cops

On Monday,the mutilated,naked bodies of Chetan Dhule,Dinesh Ahire,Ganesh Karanje and Bharat Kudle,all in their twenties,were found with their throats slit,partially burnt and bearing head injuries. According to police sources,Pathak singlehandedly killed the four after his men assaulted them.

Officers said Pathak wanted investigators to believe that he was elsewhere when the murders took place. Early on Sunday,even after the victims’ families had attempted to register a case of kidnapping,Pathak had reportedly arrived at the Kurar police station along with a girl. “At 1.30 am on Sunday,a girl came to the police station and registered a non-cognisable offence against Pathak claiming he had eveteased her. The officers asked Pathak to pay Rs 1,200 as fine and allowed him to go,” said senior police inspector Dhanaji Nalavade.

Two teams were sent to Jaunpur in UP and Gujarat to trace Pathak and his aide. “The three detained are the prime suspects,” said a Crime Branch officer. “Neighbours,friends and relatives of the accused are being questioned. We are awaiting the post-mortem reports,” said DCP Nisar Tamboli.

Officers said Pathak also didn’t want to leave anytrace of the crime. Sources said Pathak and his men were headed into the jungle in a green Tavera belonging to Pathak’s cousin Abdul Sattar. Pathak alighted midway near the foot of the hillock and took the men by foot to make sure the tyre tracks were not found. Then,as the men began herding the victims up,Pathak left the four men in their custody and came to the police station with the girl. After paying the fine for the supposed eveteasing incident,Pathak returned to the spot.

“He planned the murders to teach the locals a lesson so that his source of income — the protection money — did not stop,” said Jaywant Hergude,ACP (Crime Branch).

Key witness

Officers said Pradeep Dhuri also known as Sachin,who had also been summoned by Pathak to the foot of the hillock but had managed to escape,is a key witness. Sachin,a friend of the victims,said in his statement that he reached the hillock on his bike. “When I reached the spot at 12 midnight,I saw my four friends in the Tavera. Their hands were tied behind their backs. When the accused saw me,they came to nab me but I was quick. When they grabbed my collar I left my motorcycle and ran,freeing myself from the grip of the accused. I immediately went to the Kurar police station and told officers that I saw Pathak kidnapping my friends. The officers began asking questions and when I asked them to come with me,they refused. They said my friends must have fought among themselves and asked me to go home,” said Sachin,who was also present with Bharat at Shivaji Nagar when a fight broke out between Pathak’s gang and his friends. The bar brawl had been prompted by a glass or bottle flung in the direction of the victims’ table,said sources.

“If the officers are guilty of negligence,we will take action. We have transferred the senior police inspector Mohan Sankhe as there were many complaints against him in the past as well,” said Maruti Rathod,ACP (Malad east).